Burglars took less than five minutes to steal goods and cash worth £10,000 from a Highgate man's home while he was out.

Gary Parkes returned to Merton Lane, in the West Hill Park Estate, on December 2nd to find his bedroom ransacked.

To his horror, he saw on his video intercom that at 7.16pm four burglars had broken in through a back door.

One of the burglars fell in his pond, but the four were still out again within five minutes - after leaving muddy footprints on his "beautiful rugs".

"Firstly we were out, thank God, but they got everything," said Gary.

"They found some cash, an H Stern watch which was a gift, laptops, two Louis Vuitton bags with two ipads in them.

"They sprayed Mr Muscle to get rid of the DNA but they did leave some finger marks.

"It's absolutely terrifying when you see it and I thought I had good security."

Gary said the raiders broke two locks to his garden gate "with a crowbar or something" then smashed the kitchen door which set off an alarm.

"One of the neighbours saw them running off in a black BMW and provided the number plate to the police, but the car could have been stolen."

He said he was told of a similar burglary involving four masked men, in Golders Green.  

He added: "It's frightening, absolutely petrifying. I live on a fabulous estate and we've got big double gates that are left open.

"We want electric gates but of course, when you live on large estates, not everyone wants it.

"I'm circulating the videos and hopefully the neighbours will see this and we can get electric gates. It will keep us all safer.

"Crime is going through the roof round here."

On the August bank holiday his Lexus car and his neighbour's car were both stolen by thieves. 

"My neighbour got hers back but mine never showed," he said.

The Met said it is investigating the burglary. 

A spokesperson said: "Inquiries are ongoing and anyone with information should call 101 quoting reference 0476/3DEC."