Victims speak out after they say home invasion left them zip tied at gunpoint in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA - A young man and his grandfather are speaking out after they say a terrifying home invasion left them threatened, robbed and zip tied at gunpoint Thursday.
Three men forced their way through the front door of a home on the 200 block of West Olney Avenue around 11:30 a.m., police said.
2 men bound with zip ties during gunpoint home invasion in Philadelphia: police
Two men were bound with zip ties when police say a group of armed intruders barged into a Philadelphia home on Thursday.
25-year-old Nathan and his 77-year-old grandfather were tied up with zip ties while the intruders searched the property for half an hour, according to police.
The group fled the home with an undisclosed amount of money taken from a safe, and $40 and a gold chain stolen from one of the victims.
FOX 29’s Steve Keeley spoke with the victims about the shocking incident that occurred during the daytime.
Nathan said he answered the knock at the front door, the group of intruders grabbed him, put him on the stairs and zip tied his arms and legs.
He said they also held him and his grandfather at gunpoint before putting a blanket over his head, so I couldn't see what they were doing.
"They threatened to hurt me, but they didn't threaten to shoot me," said the 25-year-old victim. "They did have guns though, so I was just gonna assume the worst."
Nathan's grandfather said they zip tied his hands and put the barrel of a gun to his chest.
"They said, 'Where's your money?’ I said I got no money," said the 77-year-old victim.
Because the family does not own a business and haven't gone to a bank recently where they could have been followed from, Nathan was taken aback by the incident as he said the home invaders went right up the stairs into the room that had a safe inside.
The family received a neighbor's surveillance of the white van the home invaders used, and a friend helped them install new security cameras and alarms.
Police said they do not know where the suspects went after leaving the home. Both victims sustained minor injuries during the home invasion.