MASKED raiders barged their way into a home and held up the occupants with a handgun before fleeing with jewellery and watches.

At around 9.40pm yesterday (January 11) three men dressed in black with their faces covered forced entry to a property in Boxted Close, Buckhurst Hill.

Inside they used a gun to threaten two people before grabbing two watches, each worth a four-figure sum of cash, jewellery, two mobile phones and a purse.

Now police want to find both the offenders and the owners of a piece of jewellery left outside the house. 

Detective Inspector Colin Norton, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “This was a frightening ordeal for the victims who were threatened in their own home.

“This is a busy residential area and it is my belief that someone will have seen or heard something.

 “This jewellery was found outside the property but we don’t believe it belongs to the victims.

“We believe it may have been taken during another burglary and want to find the owners of this jewellery so we can return it to them.

“They may also have information which will help our investigation.”

If you have any information call 101 quoting incident number 1028 of 10/01 or email scd.appeals.essex@essex.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.