A Perth mother home alone with her four-year-old son has been terrorised and threatened with a hammer during an armed robbery.
The intruder targeted a mother alone and asleep on the couch in the northern suburb of Clarkson in what police say is a random and opportunistic attack.
The ordeal unfolded just after 5am on Sunday, with the man seen on security footage casing a laneway before climbing the victim's back fence using a bin.
He was spotted on CCTV peering through the back sliding door before smashing his way inside the home using a hammer, demanding the woman's handbag and car keys.
The incident took place as her son slept in the next room.
"The woman, who was understandably terrified, offered no resistance," Detective Senior Constable Jamie Defazio said.
"Despite this, the man proceeded to brandish the hammer above his head while the victim feared for the safety of both herself and her child."
The man was captured again on camera leaving in the woman's silver Hyundai Accent, with the registration 1HQH-437.
That car hasn't been seen since and police are appealing for help locating it.
Police say this is someone they want to find fast and are hopeful someone may recognise his voice.
"We're going to throw as many resources as we can at this to make sure we identify, locate and apprehend this person as quick as we possibly can," police said.
The woman's neighbour was also home alone at the time with her five-month old - the mother reeling at how close she came to being targeted while the victim is tonight, too traumatised to return home.
