Secret SOS as gunmen rob home | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

A terrified young mother secretly dialled Masterton police as masked gunmen held her hostage and beat her partner while their baby slept.

Te Ata Kelly, 19, said three men wearing balaclavas and ski masks, two armed with shotguns and another with a hammer and crowbar, burst into the Worksop Rd home she shares with son Korbin, 1, and partner Tyler Murphy, shortly after 11.30pm on Thursday.

She said there were eight adults in the four-bedroom house and two other toddlers asleep when the armed men smashed their way through the back door of the home.

"They were screaming at us to give them drugs and money," Ms Kelly said.

"I shouted that there were babies in the house and please don't hurt us. They just kept yelling for us to get down.

"Two of them with guns took Tyler away and one stood guard over the five of us still in the room. My hair was covering my face as I bent down, so I got out my cellphone and called the police.

"Nobody could hear me because I was right next to the stereo, which was playing, and it muffled my voice. The police got there a couple of minutes after the three of them left and I went straight in and got my baby."

Mr Murphy said he had walked towards the three intruders as they began screaming commands "and waving the shotguns around at us". He had been struck on the head and taken from the room while the other occupants huddled in terror.

He received only minor injuries during the assault, he said.

"One of them stuck the barrel into my cheek and they kept prodding me in the ribs to get me out of the room. They kept asking for money and drugs - the two things we didn't have."

Mr Murphy said the robbers took a small amount of cash from his wallet and fled the house on foot. He described the intruders as average height but said all their other identifying features were hidden.

A neighbour, who declined to be named, said the shouting and screaming grabbed her attention and she had looked out at the street to see "three young fellas running for their lives" about 11.45pm.

The woman said police were yesterday photographing the route the three young men had taken down Worksop Rd and adjoining Kaka St.

Wairarapa CIB head Detective Senior Sergeant Sean Hansen said the intruders had made off with cash, wallets and a small amount of alcohol, and had fled along a path that also included Takahe St.

He said the incident was "particularly disturbing" as there were young children sleeping in the house at the time.

Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to immediately contact Masterton police, particularly nearby residents who may have found any items of clothing or weapons that may have been discarded as the intruders fled.