Woman robbed in her Northeast Philadelphia home with children asleep upstairs

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police are searching for three masked men who robbed a woman in her own home in Northeast Philadelphia as her children slept upstairs.

It happened after 1:00 a.m. Friday on Shipley Road.

Police say a 33-year-old woman was waiting for her husband to come home when she heard a noise in the basement.

When she went down to investigate she found three masked men. They had broken through the deadbolt on the basement door and tied the family dog to a pipe.

Police say the men forced the woman into the kitchen, pushed her to the floor and put a towel over her head. They told her not to look at them or they would shoot her.

Police say while a man held a gun to her head, the other two ransacked her home, pulling out drawers and scattering clothing everywhere.

Police are hoping they left some evidence behind.

"Fortunately, according to the victim," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small, "none of the three males were wearing gloves. So Northeast Detectives is on location now processing the scene, dusting for fingerprints."

Police say a 2-year-old and a 10-year-old were inside the home, asleep at the time. Neither was injured.

The men fled with $800 in cash.

The woman's husband came home and called 911.

The woman was interviewed by Northeast Detectives.

Anyone with information about the case or the suspects is urged to contact Philadelphia Police.