Gardai were last night looking for a four man armed gang who tied up a jeweller, his wife and two children during an armed raid at their south Dublin home.
The gang subjected the family to a terrifying ordeal after entering their Terenure home at 5.30 a.m. yesterday.
A large quantity of jewellery and some cash were stolen in the raid.
The jeweller told The Irish Times that he wished his identity to be withheld as he feared its disclosure could result in further attacks on his family.
"It is all terribly stressful. I have a family to rear and I would not want them to go through another dramatic experience like that," he said.
The man, his wife and two of their children were tied up by the gang, who were armed with a number of sawn off shotguns. No one was injured during the incident. A baby is believed to have been sleeping in another room as the raid was taking place.
The intruders stole a "substantial amount of jewellery" and some cash, before escaping in the family's white Vauxhall Nova car. The vehicle has not yet been recovered.
The incident is one of a number of similar robberies to have taken place at the homes of business people. Last week a garage owner and his family were tied up in a raid on their home in Navan, during which cash was taken.