Thieves broke into the apartment of a 73-year-old woman in Athens and, after ransacking the property, punched the elderly woman and removed her gold teeth, police said yesterday.

According to officers, the thieves climbed into Maria Kantziki’s home in Kallithea, southern Athens, from her balcony late on Thursday. The two men went through the apartment looking for cash. They found 150 euros from the woman’s monthly pension, which they took.

Apparently not satisfied with their haul, the thieves then punched the 73-year-old, who had been asleep, in the face and pulled out her gold teeth.

The pensioner was in a state of shock after the attack but was able to tell police what had happened. No description of the two suspects was issued.