A witness appeal has been launched after a woman was threatened by a man in a balaclava who then stole her car.

The aggravated burglary took place at a house in Roebuck Gate, Stevenage, at around 8.40pm on Saturday.

A man forced his way into the woman’s home and threatened her with a ‘sharp implement’. He told her to give him her bank card.

The man then stole the victim’s car, which was parked outside the house. The car, a white Volkswagen Polo, was later found abandoned in Willows Link.

The man is described as white, aged in his late teens or early twenties, around 5ft 5in to 5ft 7in tall and of slim build.

He was reported to be wearing a hat that was red, orange and yellow striped, a dark coloured three-quarter-length coat and had a dark balaclava or scarf over his face.

Det Con Hayden Coggins, who is investigating, said: “I would like to stress that incidents of this nature are very rare. Thankfully the resident was unharmed but was understandably left shaken.

“There were a large number of people out and about at the time and I would appeal for anyone who has information about what happened, or who thinks they may have seen the man described, either before or after the incident, to contact me. The weather was not particularly cold, and it would have been unusual to see someone wearing so much clothing.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Coggins at the Local Crime Unit in Stevenage on police non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference E1/14/5517. Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.