Police in Larnaca are investigating a case in which four men allegedly robbed a house “under the threat of garden shears”.

The alleged burglary took place shortly after 1am on Monday, with the four reportedly successfully stealing items with a combined value of €500,000 while threatening the homeowner with a pair of gardening shears.

The perpetrators also managed to steal €4,000 in cash.

The four robbers reportedly outnumbered the three people in the house, two of whom were domestic helpers, stealing mobile phones and jewellery which were on the persons of all three, before also robbing the house’s safe.

After having obtained the gold and the money, the suspects then fled.

Larnaca police spokesman Spyros Chrysostomou said the four robbers gained entry by smashing in the house’s back door.

“The perpetrators had their faces covered with hoods,” Chrysostomou said. “After entering the house, they threatened the three people inside it with garden shears, before taking their mobile phones and the gold jewellery they were wearing.

“They then forced the homeowner to open the safe in the house from where they stole gold jewellery and watches worth €500,000 as well as the cash amount of €4,000.”

He added that the house will be inspected by the police and that CCTV footage from the house and its vicinity will also be examined.

In addition, according to Phileleftheros¸ the house belongs to a “well-known land developer who has been active in Larnaca for years”.