Two young children have been found safe and well after being abducted in Melbourne’s east following a home invasion in which their mother was bound, gagged and assaulted.

Police on Monday evening said a three-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl were found at Mitcham about 7.20pm.

Two men and a woman were in police custody.

The children were taken from their Blackburn North home while wearing pyjamas by a man who fled in the family’s Mercedes-Benz, police said.

Armed Crime Squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said the man was armed with a weapon as he entered the home between 8am and 8.30am on Monday.

Adilla and Bilal have been located. 👏🏻🎉

The children appear safe and well however they will be medically assessed.

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— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) August 23, 2021

The children’s 32-year-old mother was assaulted, bound and gagged.

Her 34-year-old husband, the children’s father, was at work.

Detective Inspector Thomas said there were “certain conversations had” between the woman and the offender, but declined to say what they discussed.

The man took the children and was last seen driving away in the family’s car.

Detective Inspector Thomas said the mother was being treated for serious injuries in hospital.

“She’s very upset, as is the father. Both are co-operating fully with us,” he told reporters.

Asked whether the man was related to the family or a stranger, he said “our mind is open to everything because we don’t know at this point”.

“We’re speaking to a number of different people to try and piece this all together,” he said.

He said he was “not aware of” any custody issues and the parents were not known to police.

-AAP