Police desperately searching for three young children abducted from their foster home in Coulsdon last week have arrested four people.

Four men, aged between 21 and 41, were detained at an address in Ilford in the early hours of Friday, August 28, all on suspicion of being involved in the abduction of the Safi brothers on August 20.

But the search for Bilal, Mohammed Ebrar and Mohammed Yaseen Safi and their biological father continues.

Imran Safi broke into the children's' foster home on Coulsdon Road around 6pm on August 20 and threatened their foster mother with a knife before taking them away in a red Nissan Qashqai.

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Since the public appeal was officially released yesterday, the Met say they have received over 30 calls from the public offering information on the suspected abduction.

Eight people had already been arrested in connection with the incident, and the latest four are all thought to be known to the suspect.

READ MORE: Desperate hunt for brothers snatched from foster home 'by knife-wielding dad'

They have been taken to a south London police station for questioning, whilst the previous eight have all been released on bail.

“I would really urge anyone from the Croydon, and now Ilford, area to think long and hard about if they saw these children, or their father, the evening of Thursday, 20 August and possibly the morning of Friday, 21 August," said Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer, Commander of the South Area Basic Command Unit.

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"Whilst this development has brought us one step closer to finding Imran and the three children, we still need more information from the public to help us locate them."

Police said they believe this may have been a planned attack, one which members of the community may be aware of.

It is possible that Imran has taken the children out of the country, and the Met say their number one concern is the safety of the three children.

Police are continuing to appeal for anyone who may have seen a red Nissan Qashqai registration PK13 WFO in the Croydon area, particularly Coulsdon Road, on the afternoon of Thursday, 20 August to get in touch.

Officers are also asking anyone who believes they have seen Imran Safi and his children since Thursday, 20 August to contact police immediately through the investigation control room on 07942599374 – this number is operational 24 hours a day seven days a week.

Alternatively, to stay completely anonymous, contact the charity Crimestoppers on freephone 0800 555 111 or fill in their simple and secure anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.

Any member of the public who may see Imran Safi should avoid approaching him but call police immediately on 999.