EXCLUSIVE

Residents living on an upmarket estate in Cricklewood are offering a £5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of burglars who are targeting homes at the weekend.

The thieves are breaking into the detached properties on the Hocroft Estate, where homes can sell for up to £8.5million, before fleeing on mopeds.

While police investigate the crimes the residents have decided to take matters into their own hands and have dug deep in a bid to catch the culprits.

A resident living on Hocroft Road, who asked not to be named, was enjoying a day off work when a pair of burglars broke into his home, forced him to open his family safe and snatched his Rolex watch from his wrist before locking him a storage cupboard.

The thieves then fled with more than £20,000-worth of his possessions.

He said: “It was an absolutely distressing experience. You do not expect to be grabbed, threatened and robbed by men dressed like the SAS in your own home, when you are enjoying an evening to yourself.”

“I struggle to sleep and I wake up in the middle of the night when I hear faint noises. It has caused distress to my wife and children. It is absolutely traumatic.

“We want to protect our homes and families. If it is going to cost us some money to do so, then so be it.”

His wife added: “This made me feel absolutely ghastly. I was worried for my husband’s health.

“He could have had a heart attack.

“I also feel violated because they went into my bedroom and trawled through my private possessions and stole them.”

The thieves, who have been described as two white men aged between 18 and 22 years, last struck on Friday.

The first is of medium height and build, fair haired and fled on a red scooter.

The second is tall and thin and rode a black moped.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 101 or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Alternatively you can leave an anonymous online message by visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.