Robbers held children by throat

The youngsters, aged 16 and 11, were asleep in their beds when two men broke in through a kitchen window and ransacked the house looking for valuable Asian jewellery.

The intruders woke both the children by grabbing them by the throat and demanding to know where in the house the valuables were kept.

They then made off with pieces of expensive jewellery and watches, according to the police.

The morning raid on the house at Bunkers Lane, Staincliffe, happened while the children’s parents were at a local cash-and-carry.

It is believed they arrived in a silver four-door Toyota just before 8am on Saturday April 6.

It is also thought the men broke into a garden shed and stole tools before breaking into the house through the kitchen window by removing the upper part of the frame.

Neither of the children was hurt. The robbers escaped in the Toyota and were last seen heading down Bunkers Lane and onto Common Road.

Batley Neighbourhood Policing Team coordinator Martyn Lee said: “This was an appalling offence, and we’re relieved the young people were not seriously hurt.

“We are working with the complainants to identify these offenders and we are following several lines of enquiry.”

The suspects were described as male, one white and one mixed-race man, both in their early twenties.

The white man was around 5ft 6ins with ginger hair, freckles and blue eyes.

He had a pointed nose and was wearing a black tracksuit top with a red zip.

The second man was about 5ft 4ins with a big nose and bloodshot eyes.

He was wearing a black hooded top, black tracksuit bottoms and a black hat.

Police have now released two e-fit images of the suspects.

Any witnesses to the robbery are asked to contact Det Con Julie Holloway at Dewsbury CID via 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.