Police in the North appealed for information tonight about a gang that broke into the Co Down home of four elderly brothers. One of the brothers died after the incident, near Banbridge, days after returning home following hospital treatment for a heart condition.
The 73-year-old had stayed at the family house while his brothers attended mass last night in a nearby church.
When the three men returned home they were confronted by up to five men who assaulted them and ransacked the house.
After a struggle, the gang fled the house and the pensioners found their brother's body.
Two of his brothers were taken to hospital by ambulance while the third man was treated by a doctor at the scene. But none of them was thought to have been seriously injured.
Chief Inspector Stephen Day said: "We understand people have been operating in this area who may have been targeting houses.
He added: "I would appeal to anybody who saw any suspicious people in the vicinity of this house on Saturday evening to inform the police.
"That also refers to suspicious vehicles and indeed we would also refer to anybody acting suspiciously in the past few days or weeks.
The cause of death of the brother who died had still to be confirmed tonight, and it was not known whether anything had been stolen.
The incident followed concern highlighted by police that attacks and robberies against elderly people in Northern Ireland were increasing.
On Friday, five elderly people were targeted in three separate incidents in the greater Belfast area.
PA