POLICE in Belfast have said they are treating a burglary in the city as a racially-motivated hate incident.
The burglary occurred at a property in the Glen Road area in the west of the city at around 8.30pm on Thursday.
Sinn Féin councillor Ronan McLaughlin, a life-long Glen Road resident, branded the incident ‘disgraceful’.
In a statement, police said it was reported that three men had approached a property in the area on Thursday evening.
“The men forced their way into the house and searched the rooms before making off,” added the statement.
“The family, who were in the property at the time, were badly shaken by their ordeal.”
It added that the matter ‘is being treated as a racially-motivated hate incident’.
Cllr McLaughlin, who represents the Black Mountain DEA, condemned those responsible, saying it was not reflective of locals.
“This was a disgraceful incident and my thoughts are with the family affected,” he said.
“There is absolutely no room for racism anywhere in our society.
“West Belfast is a welcoming and friendly community and this incident is by no means reflective of our people.
“We will be engaging with the family in the time ahead. Anyone with information should contact the PSNI.”