THE Metropolitan Police are hunting four suspects with 'Irish accents' after the armed burglary of a house in London.
The men were armed with hammers and crowbars when they broke into the home on a private estate in Chislehurst, south east London at 6.30pm on March 5.
After ringing the doorbell and getting no answer, the group smashed their way into the property through a pair of patio doors.
Once inside, one of the men grabbed an 11-year-old boy from the living room and dragged him through the house.
They then squirted an unknown liquid, which was initially believed to be acid, in the face of an 81-year-old man.
DC Ben Briselden: "This was a terrifying burglary where a family were at home enjoying their evening and were threatened and attacked by four men who stole their most valued possessions." Anyone with information is asked to call #Bromley Burglary Squad on 07795 334919 pic.twitter.com/aB1HUdHV8I
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 23, 2018
The substance is not thought to have been noxious and the granddad suffered no injures.
A teenage girl was also dragged upstairs before the suspects demanded to know where the family's jewellery was.
One of the victims was able to call a family member who then alerted police.
The men then filled the girl’s black school rucksack with a large amount of jewellery and fled the house.
Police say the suspects sped off in a silver Mercedes car from the Cookham Dene Close home.
DC Ben Briselden: "This was a terrifying burglary where a family were at home enjoying their evening and were threatened and attacked by four men who stole their most valued possessions." Anyone with information is asked to call #Bromley Burglary Squad on 07795 334919 pic.twitter.com/aB1HUdHV8I
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 23, 2018
They are described as four stocky white men, with Irish accents, aged in their mid-20s.
Each wore matching Converse All Star-style trainers, baseball caps and puffa-style jackets.
Detectives believe the same group of men are responsible for a number of other break-ins in the area and have released CCTV from a burglary in Keston, showing four men pushing a safe out through a door.
Det Con Ben Briselden, from Bromley Burglary Squad, said: “This was a terrifying burglary where a family were at home enjoying their evening and were threatened, and attacked, by four men who then stole their most valued possessions, which were of great sentimental value.
“We would urge anyone with information about this burglary to get in touch as soon as possible.”
