THIEVES stole Asian heritage jewellery worth more than £9,000 when they raided a house.

The victims arrived home as the gang was leaving their Kings Causeway home in Brierfield with a haul which included six gold bangles, three sets of small clustered earrings, a heavy gold necklace worth £2,000, and £500 in cash.

The family went inside to find their home had been trashed.

The burglary follows a similar incident in Burnley last week, in which a group of men ransacked a mid-terraced home in Clive Street, stealing more than £50,000 of gold necklaces, bracelets and rings.

Police are not linking the incidents, but are warning residents to be vigilant after Asian jewellery thefts in Eastern Avenue, Burnley, Ronbury Close, Barrowford, and also Meredith Street, Nelson, in recent weeks.

The latest incident happened on Friday when four white men approached the Brierfield home and rang the doorbell. When they did not receive a reply, they went to the back of the property and forced open the patio doors.

As the thieves were leaving, the family pulled onto the driveway in their car and saw the gang walk out from behind their house.

One of the men was in his early 20s, heavy set, around 5ft 6in, with short blonde hair, a wide nose and small eyes, and wearing a blue hooded top and black jeans.

A second man was between 18 and 20, around 5ft 6in, with strawberry blonde hair and a slim face. A third man had very short hair.

Sgt Shaun Pearson, of Pendle Police, said: “These types of burglaries tend to come in clusters and usually it is the same people “If anyone saw a group of four men running in or near Kings Causeway between 1.45pm and 4.15pm on Friday, we would be very interested in speaking to them.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.