A Penal family of five were tied up during a home invasion on the night of January 13.

Police said the father of the family locked the doors to his St Julien Trace home around 9.30 pm and retired to bed when he was awakened by his daughter's screams around 10.45 pm.

He said he then saw four masked men dressed in dark clothing standing in his living room, armed with cutlasses. The assailants tied up the family and ransacked the house, taking $15,000 cash, jewellery, and cellphones before escaping in the man's white Nissan Wingroad PCZ 7220.