Gardaí have launched an investigation after two children were assaulted when up to three masked men burst into the home of a Chinese family in Co Monaghan on Sunday.
The 12-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl are understood to have been alone in the house when the gang entered the premises in Blaeberry Walk, Castleblayney, at 9.30pm.
Their father – the proprietor of two restaurants – had left the house for a short time when the incident occurred.
The children were said to be unharmed following the ordeal and did not require being kept in hospital.
However, local sources indicated that they had been traumatised following the raid.
The masked men, one of whom was armed with a metal bar, then ransacked the house, although it is unclear if anything was taken in the raid.
Gardaí were last night seeking information on an “old-type silver BMW” with a 01-D registration which was seen in the area between 6pm and 10pm on Friday, January 10th, and again on Sunday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact gardaí at Castleblayney on 042-974 7900, the Garda confidential line on 1-800-666-111 or any Garda station.