Gun gang hold London baby hostage

A mother and her 10-month-old baby were held hostage at gunpoint by raiders who then forced her partner to drive to his business and hand over cash during a terrifying ordeal, Scotland Yard said today.

The masked gang burst into the home and threatened to shoot the family. Two of the robbers locked the 23-year-old woman and child in a room and stood guard while the businessman, 28, was made to drive his silver Alfa Romeo from their house in Fulham to his office in Camden.

He was forced to hand over £2,000 and ordered to drive to Kennington Lane, south London, where the other two raiders stopped the car and ran off.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Dickie said: "Obviously the family were very frightened and suffered a frightening ordeal. These people were forceful in their threats against the family. These are dangerous men who must be caught quickly and I appeal to anyone in Fulham or in Camden who saw anything suspicious to contact us."

The gang are believed to have targeted the victims but probably expected to steal more money, police said. The raiders struck on Sunday at about 10pm and held the woman and child until midnight. It is believed the suspects gained access to the house through the back garden. Mr Dickie, of Finchley Flying Squad, added: "This was a callous crime which appears to have an element of pre-planning."

Scotland Yard is also investigating a series of raids in north London in which wealthy businessmen have been followed and attacked in their homes. Police believe the gang have escaped with more than a million pounds worth of jewellery.

Last month, a company director and his family were tied up and attacked during a raid at their £2 million home in Twickenham.

One of the Fulham robbers, who was armed, was in his late twenties, 6ft and wore a green jacket and dark blue jeans. A second man, also carrying a firearm, was black, 5ft 8 to 10in, and also in his twenties. He wore a baseball-style jacket. One of the men who remained in the house was white and 5ft 11in. He wore a navy hooded jumper, navy tracksuit bottoms and Nike trainers. The other man was black, between 25 and 30, and wore a green bomber jacket.

Contact Finchley Flying Squad on 020 8733 5751 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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