The teenagers, Clinton (13), Kaitlin (14) and Christopher (16) de Jager, who live along Johan Street, also overheard the robbers talking about killing them.
The robbery took place on Thursday morning, last week.
According to the teenagers’ father, Alfred de Jager, Clinton woke up at about 11am and saw people in the passage.
“He immediately jumped up and saw three men with knives,” said Alfred.
“They grabbed him and started assaulting him, but he put up a fight.
“At one stage they even sat on him, but they then tied him up and took him to the lounge.”
Kaitlin was upstairs in her bedroom and Christopher was in the outside flat on the property.
“The men went upstairs, got Kaitlin and brought her to Clinton,” said Alfred.
“She wasn’t tied up and was constantly trying to calm her brother.”
The robbers then locked the pair in a room and went through the house.
Christopher, who was unaware of what was happening in the house, came inside from the flat and was overpowered by the men.
“He was also locked in the room,” said Alfred.
Alfred told the Herald that the robbers had constantly asked his children if there was a safe.
“They stole three plasma television sets, a laptop, several computer games, game consoles, cellphones and jewellery,” he said.
The robbers loaded the stolen goods into a silver Tata Indica, which they had brazenly parked on the property after breaking the outside gate.
“After breaking the gate, they just walked into the house,” said Albert, explaining that the door wasn’t locked because Christopher moves between the house and flat.
He further explained how the youngsters had heard the men talking about killing them.
“They were speaking in English and the oldest man, who was the most aggressive, was telling the other two that they should kill the kids because they would be able to identify them,” said Albert.
The men left and the teenagers eventually managed to free themselves from the room at about 1pm, after kicking down the door.
“They ran to our neighbour and my wife, Belinda, and I are were called,” said Albert.
“We both rushed home.”
Albert thanked everyone who helped his children and said he was impressed with the speedy reaction time of the Brakpan SAPS and security companies.
“We are just so thankful that they weren’t hurt,” he added.
* In a house robbery on Wednesday, last week, five men, armed with guns, held up a policeman’s family and a domestic worker at an address along Queen Avenue.
The policeman is stationed in Benoni.
According to information received from Brakpan police, the men entered the house at about 11am, threatened the woman, her two adult daughters and the domestic worker, and then bound all of the women’s hands with pantyhose.
The robbers claimed to know the woman’s husband was a policeman.
One of them assaulted her, while another allegedly put his hand down her underwear.
The men stole a safe containing jewellery and personal documents, household appliances, and two vehicles — a black Chevy Spark and a white Volkswagen Polo.
The robbers also threatened to come back.
The woman received medical treatment after the incident.
About two weeks ago they tried breaking in at our neighbors house around 5am. My husband ran after the guy and the other jumped over our wall and tried to hide in our yard. I chased him. But they came back the following week during the day and tried stealing a neighbors save filled with guns. Both times the SAPS response was very quick but they say these guys are dangerous and the attacks have increased. Be careful everyone!