A Whitby family is shaken but unharmed after thieves broke into their home and held them hostage while they ransacked the place.
Durham police say the two adults and three young children were watching television at their Thickson Road home on Sunday night when suddenly they heard a nose.
“A sudden noise… like glass broken,” the homeowner told CTV News Toronto. She asked her identity be withheld out of fear of retribution.
“I asked my husband, ‘What was that noise?’”
With the glass door smashed, three masked suspects broke into the house and stormed the living room.
The homeowner said the suspects shouted at them, “Get up, I’ll kill you!”
One of the suspects, allegedly armed with a hammer and two knives, kept the family hostage while the others looted the home for jewelry and other items.
Police say one of the victims also reported seeing a handgun.
“My babies were crying. I pray to God… My husband, my babies safe.”
With stolen goods in hand, the trio then fled the area on foot.
“It’s concerning to us… The sequence of events, how it transpired,” Const. George Tudos said.
“However, at this point, it’s unknown whether it was a targeted incident or not.”
Few details are available about the suspects.
The first has been described as an Asian male who was short, while the other two suspects are described as black males who were taller than the first suspect.
They were all reportedly wearing masks and dark clothing at the time of the robbery.
The family says that they’re still trying to process what happened that evening.
“I am very scared,” the homeowner said. “So scared… I haven’t slept.”
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
