Hero father single-handedly fights off gang of knife wielding burglars who raided his home

A father has told how he took on four armed burglars who smashed into his home, saying: “I had to protect my family.”

Rehan Sheikh was settling down for the evening with his wife Maria and their four young children when the men burst in demanding money.

Brent CID were today investigating the attempted aggravated burglary, as Mrs Sheikh praised her husband’s bravery, saying: “His strength came from somewhere.”

Mr Sheikh, 38, who works in property management, heard “a very loud bang” and saw the gang, described as three white men and an Asian man in their thirties, had smashed the front door.

Police said one of the suspects was armed with a knife or hammer during the attack at about 8.30pm on April 1.

The burglars yelled at the couple’s sons, Awais, nine, Massab, seven, and Nafi, five, to get on the floor of the living room of their Wembley home, while Mrs Sheikh and their daughter Eliza, three, were in the kitchen.

Mr Sheikh told how two of the men shouted “Where is the money? Give us the money” before punching him.

He said “instinct kicked in” and he started trading blows with the attackers. “I’d never fought like this before, but I had to protect my family.”

He said: “One came back with a knife in his hand. I gave him one, and I shouted ‘call police’.”

A couple who lodge with the Sheikhs and were upstairs called 999.

Mr Sheikh grabbed one of the men as they fled, pinning him down on the driveway. Then a white car, possibly a Vauxhall or Volvo, appeared with three of the gang inside. Mr Sheikh let the man go, fearing for his family’s safety if they returned, and they drove off.

The attack left him with a swollen head and with pain in his hands. He said: “I am scared to leave my family alone now.”

He said he may have been targeted if the burglars mistakenly thought he had tenants’ rent money in the house.

Mrs Sheikh, 35, said: “At the time I was very scared. Our children were very confused and scared, but now they are sleeping OK.”

Police said no arrests have been made and the investigation was continuing.