People living near the house where an elderly couple were tied up and threatened in a brutal burglary have been speaking about their reaction to violent crime on their doorstep.

The masked thieves threatened the couple at about 12.20am on Sunday before making off from the house in the Sish Lane area of Stevenage with jewellery and money.

Jim Kerr lives in an adjoining street and saw police cars descend on the area at about 1am.

He said: “We get very little like that around here and I haven’t heard of anything so brutal in 25 years of living here. When the police knocked on my door to say what had happened I immediately checked all my locks were working. It is shocking but it is the way the world is going unfortunately.”

Daniel Cox has lived in Sish Lane for the past two years and said: “I can’t understand why anyone would do that.

“We haven’t had any trouble in the sense of vandalism or other crimes since we’ve lived here. It has mainly been people doing strange things.”

The man and woman – both in their 70s – weren’t badly injured in the attack but have been left extremely shaken.

Mpokiseng Mbedzi also lives near to where the robbery took place.

He said: “It is quite shocking. Nothing like this has happened in the three years we have lived here.”

Today the police released descriptions of two men – who both had their faces covered – they want to speak to.

The first is described as white, around 5ft 9ins tall, well-built and wearing a grey top with a hood and dark bottoms.

The other is described as black, taller than his accomplice, and of slim build. He was wearing a navy blue top.

Anyone with information about the crime should call Herts police on 101.