A BRAZEN gang sneaked into a Burnley home, held teenagers at knifepoint, and escaped with a £16,000 haul of jewellery.

Detectives have issued an alert to jewellers, gold exchanges and second hand dealers across East Lancashire following the raid in Windermere Avenue, Queensgate.

Raid victim Mark Bullock believes the five to seven young intruders may have been targeting his black Range Rover.

But when they could not get the keys to the off-road vehicle they demanded other valuables, when they struck just before 7pm last Friday.

The haul included rare kruggerand and half-kruggerand coins, on chains, a gold ring with a one-carat diamond and a monkey-chain pendant.

Mark was not home when the gang burst into the property and his stepson David Kay, 18, and a friend were confronted. Much of the jewellery taken belonged to his wife Ann-Marie.

He said: “I think they were after the Range Rover and when they couldn’t get that they took the jewellery. They were sneaky because the back door was open and they just walked in. The lads were a bit shaken but they’re okay now.”

Mark said an attempt had already been made to trade in one of the kruggerand coins. But the jeweller concerned knew Mark and had recognised the coin, prompting the customer to snatch the coin back and flee.

Det Con Ash Johnson, of Burnley CID, said the men were in their late teens and early 20s.

People who saw anything suspicous in the Windermere Avenue area, or saw the gang escape towards Prairie Crescent, are being asked to call DC Johnson of Det Con Ifte Ali on 01282 472142 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.