Five men thought to be asylum seekers were pulled from a property on St John’s Way, Thetford, by officers in front of a baying crowd yesterday night before being driven away in a police van.

Norfolk Constabulary said a workman was also prevented from leaving the address that evening.

The group of men living in the home were moved out of the property on Tuesday (Image: TikTok)

At a second property on Elm Road, a resident was allegedly forced out of his home before having his phone stolen, while a third property on Bracken Road had its door and window smashed.

Police cars lined the streets and drones hovered overhead as the mob attempted to force its way into all three homes.  

The unrest began after the group of men were seen being moved into the St John’s Way property before midday on Tuesday.

One neighbour said they had been told in May that people were moving in, but the landlord had not disclosed they might be asylum seekers.

Word spread on social media throughout the afternoon and by 7pm people began arriving at the estate. 

A window of one of the properties smashed in (Image: Newsquest)

Police were called at 8.12pm after a group of between 30 and 50 people – none of who lived at the address – attempted to force entry smashing a window, a fence panel and a letterbox.

By that point, the crowd had reportedly swelled to more than 60, with police arriving soon after.

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