An investigation is underway after a more than half a million dollars worth of opals were stolen during a home invasion in Albion Park Rail on Tuesday night.
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Shortly after 1am four men forced their way into a home on the Princes Highway, where two residents were at home.
They demanded opal stones from the occupant's personal collection, police were told.
"We do know that one of the occupants is in the opal and gem industry and that was a place at this point in time he had stored those stones," Lake Illawarra Police District Commander Detective Superintendent Dean Smith said
The occupants complied, and the four people left in a dark sedan with the gemstones.
The residents were uninjured in the home invasion
Officers from Lake Illawarra Police District attended and established a crime scene, which was examined by specialist forensic officers.
Detectives have commenced an investigation with the opals believed to be worth more than half a million dollars.
Supt Smith said it was unclear whether it was a targeted attack.
"At this point in time to establish it's too early to establish that, but that is one of the lines of enquiry they're looking at in as part of the investigation," he said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Lake Illawarra police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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