Daily News|A NORTON family lost money and other valuables worth US$56 000 after armed robbers pounced on their home on March 29, police said.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) reported that the criminals are still at large.

“On March 29 around 1830 hours, the complainants (five) were watching television…., one of the accused persons knocked at the dining room door and one of the complainants opened the door to investigate.

“The accused requested to see the garden boy and the complainant mentioned that he doesn’t have a garden boy. One of the accused persons produced two pistols and the other had one pistol and pointed the pistols at the businessman, ordering him to surrender his firearm.

“The businessman called his son and advised him to escort the two accused persons to his bedroom to collect a star pistol from the gun cabinet,” reads part of the statement from the police CID.

“At that moment, four other accused persons who were armed with AK rifles each suddenly appeared and force-marched the businessman into the dining room.

“Four of the accused persons then ordered the family members to lie on the floor in the dining room and they complied…”

At first, the armed robbers searched the complainants and took some valuables including smart phones and cash worth about US$100.

“The accused persons then ransacked the house and took an HP Sleek book laptop, a Sony Ipad and a Silver Samsung Camera.

“They demanded cash from the businessman who indicated the money was at the office in Harare. One of the accused fired one shot which grazed one of the complainants’ right leg sheen,” reads the statement.

“One of the accused took the wife of the businessman to her bedroom where he fondled her breasts, tore her pant, inserted his fingers into her private parts and tried to have sex with her but was ordered to stop by his accomplice.”

Another accused person took the businessman’s niece to the kitchen where tried to rape her but failed.

“The accused persons went on to ransack the businessman’s bedroom and took US$21 685 cash that was in a satchel on top of the wardrobe, two satchels, two monarch bags, four caps and various groceries from the kitchen.”

They then took the businessman’s office keys and car keys of a Toyota Hilux Double Cab registration number AEK9841 into which they loaded their loot and drove away.

All the property stolen was valued at US$56 455 and nothing was recovered, the police said.