A GANG of hooded thugs punched a man to the floor and ransacked his home for more than £2,000 worth of watches.

They kicked down the front door of his house in West End yesterday and demanded money.

Police have released CCTV images as they hunt for the thieves.

The group of four arrived from the Itchen Valley Country Park side of Allington Lane between 2.40pm and 3pm on Friday, kicking the door several times as the occupant shouted from upstairs.

Once inside the gang went upstairs to confront the victim, who is in his 40s.

He was punched in the face and fell to the floor. The gang demanded money and forcibly removed a watch from his wrist.

Whilst in the house the offenders searched cabinets on the ground floor and took two more watches. They fled after the victim hit an audible panic alarm button.

The man sustained a cut and bruise to his eye.

The offenders made off with a Tag Heuer watch worth £1,500, a blue and silver Seiko watch and a red Omega watch valued at £900.

Officers have descriptions of two of the offenders:

  • Man one: In his late 20s or early 30s, 6ft and of slim build. He was wearing a black or dark blue hooded top and similar coloured trousers, a black rucksack and builder type gloves which were grey, blue or black in colour. The offender also had a hat on underneath the hoodie which had a white emblem at the front
  • Man two: White, in his early-to-mid 20s, shorter than man one but of a larger build and wearing a light grey tracksuit

Detective Constable Steve Roman said: “When the offenders left the scene they made off through overgrown vegetation at the side of the house into the road leading to Itchen Valley Country Park. Were you in the area? Did you see the offenders running from the area?

“All four offenders were wearing face coverings, hoods and coats and were clothed in a way that would look immediately out of place on such a warm afternoon.

“I’d also like to speak to anyone who may have seen a parked car on the approach to the country park from Allington Lane, anyone who was in the area who has a working dash cam or anyone who saw people in the area dressed inappropriately for a summers day.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Con Roman at Southampton police station by calling 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where information can be left anonymously.