The homeowner called police at 8:45 p.m. after finding the front door of the home in the western end of town just off Forest Avenue kicked in, Capt. Michael McDermott said.
There masked, hooded bandits ripped a front-door camera from the property and ransacked the second-floor bedrooms, during Thursday night's rainstorm, McDermott said.
One of the trio was noticeably muscular, he said.
"We don't know how long they were in the house" because the camera had been disabled and discarded, the captain said.
He asked that anyone who might have seen something or who may have surveillance video that helps investigators contact Emerson PD: (201) 262-2800.
All calls will be kept confidential.
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