Residents burgled at knifepoint in Tauranga

Three men and a woman are now living fear after they were punched and robbed at knifepoint in the wee hours of the Tuesday.

The burglary took place in the house in Gate Pa suburb of Tauranga boarded by three men and a woman in the early hours of Tuesday, January 30.

The intruder wearing black clothing, face covered with the balaclava and armed with a knife entered the house through the ranch slider and hit the resident Manmeet Singh and his friend who was sitting in the lounge.

The intruder then pulled out another flatmate sleeping inside one of the rooms and launched punches on his face too.

Another flatmate Manmohan Rawat who works as a restaurant manager had just finished his shift and returned home about at 3 a.m. and heard shouts from his living room.

Another resident of the burgled house Rajesh Batra with his bruise on his nose (Picture Supplied)

Mr Rawat rushed to the hallway but the intruder grabbed him and punched him in the face and demanded cash and car keys.

He then put the knife on his throat threatening to keep quiet else he would call his other two accomplices guarding the house.

Mr Rawat’s wife who had locked herself in her room called the police. The intruder then threatened to kill Mr Rawat demanding him to open the door.

“I will kill you,” shouted the intruder pointing his knife at Mr Rawat’s throat.

The intruder pulled a gold chain from Mr Rawat’s neck and got away with cash, mobile phones, a laptop and foreign currencies held by one of the flatmates.

The police arrived at the scene, but the intruder was able to escape.

The residents said that the man had come to the house 30 minutes before the attack, asking for cigarettes and alcohol but was told to get out by them.

“He probably came to assess who was in the house but we told him to get out then only,” Mr Rawat told The Indian Weekender.

Police confirmed they are investigating the armed intrusion on a property on Watling Street.

Another resident of the burgled house with his bruise on his right eye (Picture Supplied)

A police media spokeswoman said it was reported a man entered the house and threatened the occupants.

"Police are continuing to make inquiries and have offered the victims support."

Police advise for keeping safe:

• Police advice is to ensure your home is secure at night, keep your doors and windows secure and close your curtains.
• It also pays to invest in good quality, secure locks on windows and doors, particularly in summer.
• If you have concerns about your immediate safety, then you should not hesitate to call 111.
• If you come across a burglar in your house, do not attempt to stop them, get out of the house or to a safe place and call the police for help.