A family were trapped in their own home by “armed” catalytic converter thieves when they called 999 – but it took police three days to turn up after the emergency call.

At around 9.30pm on January 4, a woman living in Coulsdon was trapped in her home with her two children as “masked thugs with iron bars” stole the catalytic converter from her car.

The mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, says the thugs smashed her Ring doorbell and kept her family trapped inside the house by holding the door handle while carrying out the theft.

This Is Local London: Detached ring doorbellDetached ring doorbell

She called 999 immediately and was “promised” that a unit was being dispatched as an emergency – but says it wasn’t until three days later that a police officer came to the house.

The victim told Your Local Guardian: “My children were absolutely terrified, as was I, and my son has suffered deep trauma from it.

“I was promised that a unit was being dispatched as an emergency to us, but no one came.

“Two officers popped in for 10 minutes three days later, and told me that a specialist team would be in touch to take statements, speak to our neighbours, and to take the Ring doorbell footage.

“This has happened to so many people and it’s a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt or killed”.

This Is Local London: The stolen catalytic converterThe stolen catalytic converter

Inspector Andy Bott from the Met Police said the force understands that this was a “shocking incident” for the victim and said it is “sorry that the investigation was not initially progressed in a timely way”.

After claiming she had not had an update for a while, the victim requested an update online from the Met Police, but says she was told that she had said she didn’t want to pursue the matter further.

She added: “This was not true, so I don’t know where they got that from.

“After I told them that, I received contact from one of the officers who came round a few days after the incident who then asked me to upload my Ring doorbell footage and he also wrote out my statement.

“I made an official complaint online to the Met Police on January 10, but I haven’t heard anything since."

Inspector Bott said they are aware that a complaint has been received in relation to this incident and it is now “awaiting assessment”.

The victim says she thinks catalytic converter theft is “affecting so many people”, but that it seems to be “brushed under the carpet” by police.

She explained: “The perpetrators just keep getting away with it.

“I want to raise awareness of it to the people who haven’t yet been affected and encourage them to have a cat guard fitted on high risk vehicles.

“I wish we’d have had one fitted, we’ve lost two years no claims on our car insurance, our car has been written off and we had a £250 excess.

“We also now have a claim that we have to declare on any new vehicle policies we take out.”

The full statement from Inspector Andy Bott, from the Met Police, said: “We are aware that a complaint has been received in relation to this incident and this is now awaiting assessment.

“We understand that this was a shocking incident for the victim and we are sorry that the investigation was not initially progressed in a timely way.

“Further information from the victim has now been taken, along with doorbell footage. Our enquiries are progressing and she has been contacted by officers with an update.”