WEST CALDWELL, N.J. (1010 WINS) — Three men were arrested on Monday for allegedly committing an armed and targeted home invasion in New Jersey last week, according to prosecutors and police.
The men—32-year-old Joel Llanes, 30-year-old Israel Ruiz and 25-year-old Louis Ramirez—are facing first-degree robbery, home invasion and kidnapping charges, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said.
The New Brunswick men were also hit with multiple weapons and conspiracy charges.
Officers responded to a residence on Lougheed Avenue at about 4:36 a.m. on Tuesday after receiving reports of a home invasion-style robbery, West Caldwell Police said.
The homeowner woke up to the sound of forced entry through the rear sliding glass door of his house, and when he got up to investigate, he was confronted by three armed men.
Llanes, Ruiz and Ramirez allegedly bound the homeowner’s wrists and ankles with tape and held him at gunpoint while they ransacked his residence.
They are accused of stealing a number of collectibles and cash before fleeing in the man’s 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which they allegedly crashed in New Brunswick. Police found it shortly after the robbery.
The residence was targeted by the suspects, police said, but is not connected to a recent string of home burglaries targeting high-end cars in the area.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.