Family left traumatised after gang target Denholme house (From Keighley News)

Family left traumatised after gang target Denholme house

10:00am Thursday 28th February 2013 in News By Keighley News reporter

Masked pickaxe-wielding robbers who threatened a family during a terrifying home raid may have targeted the wrong address, police have revealed.

Three balaclava-clad raiders – carrying what were believed to be a pickaxe and a knife – struck at a house in Cliffe Terrace, Denholme, on Monday evening.

They demanded cash and property before searching the house and taking three mobile phones and a set of car keys. The items were all recovered shortly afterwards from a nearby garden.

But Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, believes the robbers might have made a mistake.

He said: “We are looking at the possibility the suspects were after a particular house or property and got the wrong one – it is an unusual incident for this area, and the occupants are a decent, working family.”

Police are appealing for information about the incident, which happened at about 8.30pm. They also want to hear from anyone who may have seen a suspicious vehicle in the area at the time.

DI Bragg added: “This was a terrifying ordeal for a family to be subjected to in their own home.

“A teenage girl has been left traumatised by the incident.

“I would appeal to anyone who may have any information, or who saw anybody in the area acting suspiciously, to contact Airedale and North Bradford CID on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”

One of the robbers is described as Asian, aged 19 to 24 and about 5ft 11in tall, wearing dark clothing and white gloves.

The second man is also of Asian appearance and about the same age. He was a few inches shorter and of chubby build, wearing a grey hooded top.

The third man is white and was wearing dark clothing. All had balaclavas on.

The incident has shocked the neighbourhood.

One resident, Beverley Reeday, said: “Nothing like this ever happens and I have been here for years.

“It’s normally very quiet. It’s not something you would expect to go on in a place like Denholme.”

Ward councillor Michael Ellis (Con, Bingley Rural) said the raid was “extremely worrying”.

He said he hoped it was not the start of a trend of robbers migrating from the city centre to rural areas.

Coun Ellis added: “There has obviously been a spate in Bradford, with people going in for gold, primarily in the Asian community, but we haven’t had that type of incident here.

“It is a very worrying affair, that this might become almost commonplace if people are moving out into more rural areas. It’s bad enough wherever it is, but places like Denholme are low-crime areas. It is extremely worrying and something I will have to speak to the police about.”