In a shocking incident that has left a Nottinghamshire couple shaken, a gang of masked raiders forced their way into the couple’s home and carried out a brazen £1 million burglary. The husband and wife, who have chosen to remain anonymous, recounted the terrifying ordeal to The Update Desk, describing how the intruders threatened them with a sledgehammer and a pickaxe.
The incident occurred in December at the couple’s property off Knowle Road in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire. The husband said he was struck with the sledgehammer when he tried to resist the intruders, who then demanded to know the whereabouts of the family’s watches, safe, and their son.
“We were shocked, really, that they were so specific about what it is that they came for and especially asking where our son was,” the wife told The Update Desk.
According to the couple, the gang, all dressed in black and wearing masks, had targeted the property for its high-value items, including a collection of luxury watches and designer handbags. The thieves dragged the wife upstairs while ordering the husband to take them to the safe downstairs. When he refused to leave his wife, the gang put the sledgehammer to his head and forced him to comply.
“The gang then dragged my wife up the stairs and obviously shouted at me to go to the safe,” the husband recounted. “I said that I wasn’t prepared to go anywhere without my wife, I wanted to stay with my wife and that’s when they put the sledgehammer to my head and said ‘take us to the safe’.”
After filling a bag with the stolen goods, the intruders quickly fled the scene, leaving the couple shaken but unharmed. The experience has had a profound impact on the family, who initially stayed away from their home for several nights as they tried to “gather their thoughts and pull the family back together.”
Nottinghamshire Police have released images of some of the stolen items, including a Rolex watch, in the hope of generating leads from the public. The Crimestoppers charity is offering a reward of up to £7,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
