Police: South Jersey Family Targeted In Home Invasion Robbery
By Robin Rieger
GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, Nj. (CBS) – Gloucester Township police say a home along Jefferson Drive in Laurel Springs was the scene of a terrifying home invasion on Saturday night by two armed men in ski masks. Police say the female homeowner had returned from a neighbor's barbecue around 9:30 and went into her bedroom. According to police, that's when the men appeared from a second bedroom they had been searching.
"At that point they bound her up and gagged her with a shirt and put a pillow case over her head," said Deputy Police Chief David Harkins.
The woman's husband called police after returning home about 20 minutes later and finding her. The men were gone. Police say the husband works at a local jewelry store, and say they believe the couple was targeted for that reason, based on the suspects' demands.
"They repeatedly asked where all the diamonds and cash were kept in the house," said Harkins. "Basically threatened to do harm to her, to shoot her if she didn't turn over cash or diamonds."
During the robbery, the woman's disabled brother was in the living room. Harkins says the men had threatened him before his sister got home.
"He was in fear of his life and didn't know to tell his sister," Harkins said.
Police say the men only got away with the woman's wedding and engagement rings.
Police were checking for surveillance video to see if the suspects could be seen at or near the jewelry store or the shopping center where it's located. They are described as black males, one is about 5'10". They wore black ski masks and dark clothing. Police say one spoke with a Jamaican accent, but say the accent could have been a ruse. They are urging anyone with information to come forward.
