Durban - A gang of six armed robbers held up a group of children, a gardener and another worker in a home invasion in Sherwood on Thursday.
Blue Security community and media liaison officer Andreas Mathios said the gang, which was armed with firearms, had initially attempted to cut and climb over the electric fence but it was too high so they forced open a wooden pedestrian gate to gain entry into the yard.
The gang arrived at the home in Jan Smuts Highway in a black Mercedes Benz at around 11.15am.
"Two workers who were busy repairing a vehicle on the property tried to flee but one of the robbers managed to chase them and held them up at gunpoint," Mathios said.
"The other suspects grabbed a pick-axe and attempted to break down the security gate to get into the house. One of the children heard the commotion and went to the door to investigate where he was confronted by the suspects," Mathios said.
"He threw the house remote at the suspect who used it to open the garage door. The gang then entered the house through the garage's inter-leading door where they held the children up at gunpoint and forced them to lie on the floor," he said.
Mathios said the gang fled in their getaway vehicle with cellphones, jewellery, an undisclosed sum of cash, a digital video recorder and a PlayStation console.
Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said the complainant heard the sound of a loud bang coming from the lounge.
"She was with her siblings when they were approached by four unknown suspects. At gunpoint the suspects robbed them of Playstation and recording system before fleeing the crime scene," he said.
Sydenham SAPS are investigating a case of house robbery.