Durban - Hours before a Chatsworth family could leave for a holiday to Singapore and Malaysia they were held up by armed men who threatened to shoot their 1-year-old baby if they did not co-operate.
The family had been installing cameras at their home in Kharwastan on Tuesday evening when they were accosted.
A spokesperson for Amawele Emergency Services Sivan Subramodey said there were four technicians on the property installing security cameras.
"One technician was inside the roof and the other three inside the house with the husband, his wife and two daughters aged 1 and 7. The suspects entered the home and held the family and technicians at gunpoint."
Subramodey said they demanded cash and jewellery.
"The wife was assaulted and her mungalsutra chain was ripped off her neck. The suspects then held the baby at gunpoint and threatened to shoot the child if the family did not co-operate."
Subramodey said the husband handed over the keys to the safe.
"The suspects took an undisclosed amount of cash as well as dollars and euros. They kept the foreign currency because they were leaving for Malaysia and Singapore on holiday on Wednesday."
He said the technician who was on the roof alerted Pro Security to what was happening.
"We arrived at the scene with police and the security company but the suspects had already fled. The family has been left traumatised and I am not sure if they left for their holiday."