Police are hunting for three men who committed a shocking and brazen robbery on a home in Lots Road.

The three men, all aged between their late teens and early 20s, knocked on a door at 8:30pm on 4th January and barged in the moment the unsuspecting house owner opened the door.

The gang, who are all described as black with London accents, then pretended to make themselves at home and conduct a conversation with the startled resident. One of the men even sat down on a sofa to charge his mobile phone from an adapter.

The homeowner – an Australian national who is renting the house with two other people – was alone in the house at the time. He repeatedly insisted that the men leave, but they continued to distract him. After a few minutes, they left. It was only then that he realised they had stolen a bag.

The bag contained valuable and important personal items, including the man’s MacBook laptop and mobile phone, his house keys – and even his passport.

In an exclusive interview with The Citizen, the man revealed: ‘I have only recently moved into the area and I thought nothing of opening the door, even though it was nighttime. I have always felt pretty safe around here, but as soon as I opened the door, one of the guys pushed past me and stepped inside. All three of them then walked straight into the house.

“I was completely shocked and didn’t really understand what was actually happening, or what they were going to do. It was so unusual and unsettling. One of the guys sat on the sofa and the others were talking. I was really confused. After a few moments, I started insisting that they get out of the house. I said, ‘I really want you to leave – right now’. Everything happened really quickly and they suddenly left. It was only after they went that the shock really started to hit me. And then I noticed my bag had gone.”

Police sent two officers to the house to investigate later than evening and since then CCTV footage has been discovered from multiple sources. Footage clearly shows the three men casually hanging outside the property moments after the robbery. They are seen rifling through items from the bag. One of the men even pauses to look at the stolen passport.

The Citizen has viewed the footage, but is not publishing any images of the men until the police have finished their investigation.

A brand-new nitrous oxide canister – known as “Nox”, in street parlance – was left on a wall right outside the property around the time of the robbery. Discarded black balloons was also found on the pavement. Balloons are filled with the gas, which is then inhaled to provide a drug-like high. It is believed that the three men may have been using this drug before entering the property.

The discarded canister was retained by the victim of this crime in the hope that it holds finger prints of the gang members. Police had booked to send a forensics team to the house, but that was promptly cancelled.

If you haven information about the men behind the robbery, contact the police, or The Citizen’s newsdesk.