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Home invasion robbers steal priceless family heirloom

The owners of a small South Seattle home are wondering why they would become the target of three home-invading armed robbers at 3:45 a.m. Wednesday.

SEATTLE — The Chinese-American family told KIRO 7, three generations lived a simple, quiet life in the home, which they say had nothing of value inside.

"Right now, everybody's just afraid," said “John” the homeowner, who asked KIRO 7 not to show his face, or use his last name.

“We were sleeping, and I heard door slamming sounds, and then i heard my mom scream,” John said.

For 15 minutes, the hoodie-wearing robbers pointed guns and knives at the terrified family, threatening them, demanding cash.

“They just ask me like where's the money? Where's the money? I said, ‘We don't have any, just go away.’"

John says his 76-year-old mother tried to get a knife from the kitchen. A robber grabbed her—pointed a gun at her, threatening to kill her.

“I just wanted them to be out of the house, and I told them many times, just get out, just get out!"

Then they did take something precious. John drew a picture of a heart-shaped-gold lined Chinese jade pendant. John says he was wearing it on a gold chain around his neck, and one of the robbers tore it off.

“The pendant is from China,” John said. It's passed on from generations to generations."

It was an heirloom he hoped to give to his son.

“My Grandpa went to Hong Kong to worth to support the family. He bought that chain with months and months of work."

Seattle police described the three men as black males in their 20s, 5 feet 7 inches tall to 5 feet 9 inches tall, all wearing dark hoodies.