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Home invaders rob Royal Palm Beach residence, steal vehicle

Posted at 7:45 AM, Jul 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-07 15:40:05-04

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office says two victims were tied up, while armed suspects ransacked a house in what they're calling a "heinous crime." Investigators said one of the victims was sexually battered. 

"She said she woke up somebody came into her bedroom, shined a real bright line in her face, and told her not to move, pointed a gun at her," said Autte Gudrian, a neighbor, who recounted his 92-year-old friend and neighbor asking for help in the middle of the night.

Investigators said three unknown and armed suspects broke into a home in Royal Palm Beach and came into contact with two people inside. Deputies said they tied the victims up with wire and stole belongings as well as the homeowner's car, which PBSO later located nearby. 

"They had bandanas across their face," Gudrian said the woman told him.

Gudrian said the 92-year-old asked him to call 911. 

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"They had tied her up with telephone cord," he said. "And she still had the cords around her hand and one leg."

Another neighbor also got a knock on his door in the middle of the night. 

"I think it’s horrible just totally devastating for her, but especially at that age my god you don’t need that," said Jerry Allison, a neighbor.

Gudrian went into more detail about what one of the victims told him.

"They went out into the rest of the house, searched her house," he said. "They wanted to know where the money was. She tried to get out through the bedroom window and they grabbed her pulled her back in tied her up to her bed and ransacked the house for about two and a half hours."

PBSO said they located stolen items inside that stolen car that was found nearby. PBSO is now asking for the public's help to find the suspects still out there. Crime Stoppers is offering a $3,000 reward.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.