Family 'terrorised' in machete raid at farm in East Kilbride Published duration 14 April 2018

A gang of men, one armed with a machete, "terrorised" a family during a robbery at their home in East Kilbride in South Lanarkshire.

A couple, aged 55 and 56, and their son, aged 26, were woken by smashing glass at Castlehill Farm, Kittochside, on Saturday morning.

Four masked men threatened them and the homeowner was struck with a machete.

They were held in a bedroom while the property was ransacked, with cash, jewellery and a Range Rover stolen.

Detectives said the family "genuinely feared for their lives" during the "abhorrent incident". They have appealed for information.

Officers were called to the property at about 04:30, after the suspects left.

During the raid, the 55-year-old male householder was struck on the leg by one of the men who was armed with the machete.

The men left the house after about 20 minutes and joined another man who was waiting outside in a black Nissan Qashqai.

They drove off along Carmunnock bypass and then towards Croftfoot Road and Blairbeth Road, before abandoning the stolen black Range Rover in the Mount Vernon area of Glasgow.

'Despicable individuals'

One of the men is described as being in his early 20s with a local accent and was wearing a grey hoodie with his face covered.

The rest of the men are described as having local accents and wearing dark clothing with scarves/balaclavas covering their faces.

Det Sgt Alan MacDonald, from Cambuslang CID, said: "This group of despicable individuals completely terrorised this family and made threats of extreme violence, which made them genuinely fear for their lives throughout the ordeal.

"They have been left absolutely traumatised and it is vital that we trace the criminals responsible for this abhorrent incident.

"The house is in an isolated location, near to the Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride, and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area in the early hours of this morning and may have noticed a black Nissan Qashqai to please get in touch.

"I would also ask anyone who saw a black Nissan Qashqai or black Range Rover driving along the route described following the incident to come forward."

Any motorists with dashcams who were driving in the area at about 04:30 have also been urged to contact police.