A terrified woman was shoved onto a bed by a burglar wielding a crowbar who broke into her Frognal home.

Ham & High: Police are hunting burglar who attacked a woman in her Frognal homePolice are hunting burglar who attacked a woman in her Frognal home (Image: Archant)

The woman was alone at home in Frognal at around 1pm on Wednesday when she heard someone come in, said detectives.

“Thinking it was a friend or family member, she walked towards the front door only to discover a man hiding in a bedroom.”

“On seeing the woman, the man verbally threatened her before pushing her onto a bed,” said a Met spokesman.

“He made his escape with a quantity of jewellery.”

Police vans rushed to the scene in Frognal.

Neighbours, alerted by four police vans parked outside the property said the shaken victim told them that the burglar broke in with a crow bar.

They are demanding urgent action as this is the latest of a spate of violent attacks in the area in the last few weeks.

As reported in the Ham & High, a week earlier a 32-year-old woman was robbed of her watch by three men who got out of a car and followed her into a block of flats in the Frognal area at 7:30pm on August 17.

This follows an attack when a terrified nanny with a young child was threatened with a crowbar and robbed outside the family’s home in Frognal area by a mugger wearing a motorcycle helmet on July 21.

The child’s mother, who has not been named, sent out an email to neighbours describing the ordeal and called for police to step up patrols in Hampstead.

The incidents are just the latest in a catalogue of violent robberies in Hampstead. Last year concerned residents held a series of public meetings with outgoing borough commander Richard Tucker.

Jessica Learmond-Criqui, who chairs the Frognal and Fitzjohns Safer Neighbourhoods Panel, said: “Violent crime seems to be on the increase again in Hampstead. Regular reports of attacks involving moped riders are being received in a way that has not been seen since last year when we held public meetings.”

She called for an urgent meeting with new borough commander Penny Banham who is set to replace Ch Supt Tucker at the end of September.

Mrs Learmond-Criqui said: “This may be a good time to hold another public meeting to engage her with the issues currently being encountered in Hampstead including the recent moped attacks.

“Given the stretched resources of the Met and the difficulties in prevention techniques being applied to prevent crime rather than to count the numbers after the fact, it will be important to understand what her plans are for the policing of Hampstead.”

She added: “Frequent questions are asked by residents about whether to consider private security, but there is a natural resistance to this from many who consider that the taxes they pay should cover this cost.”

The suspect in the most recent burglary on August 26 is described as a white man, aged 40 to 50 years old. He was wearing light jeans and a grey/green jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to call Camden CID on 101 or to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.