Children were eating cake when masked men broke into house, demanding money and drugs

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Police are appealing for information after masked robbers armed with knives burst into a children’s birthday party in Norfolk demanding drugs and money.

Three men in balaclavas, who police believe broke into the wrong address, burst through the back door of the home in Old Catton, near Norwich, during a 10th birthday party while children ate cake on the sofa, residents told local media.

Nobody was hurt in the incident, which took place around 6.50pm on Friday, but a woman’s mobile phone was stolen after she tried to call the police. The men, described as black, wearing dark clothes and around 6ft tall, demanded cannabis and money from residents while brandishing knives.

Authorities believe the incident is connected to county lines drug dealing.

Insp Graham Dalton, the local policing lead for Norfolk police, expressed concern for the victims, saying: “This must have been very distressing for those involved and I want to reassure the victims and other local residents that we are doing everything we can to find the offenders quickly.

“I do believe this is connected to Operation Gravity drug dealing and would ask anyone with information regarding those involved to contact the police immediately.”

Drill rapper jailed for leading county lines drug gang Read more

Norfolk police launched Operation Gravity in 2016 to combat county lines drug dealers coming into the county.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information concerning it should contact Norwich CID on 101 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.