NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A Bronx couple was held captive in their apartment by a group of armed thieves who broke into the building in the middle of the night in search of cash and other valuables, the NYPD said.
The incident happened on Sunday at 3:35 a.m. in a residential building on Franklin Avenue, near East 168th Street, in the Morrisania section of the borough, police said.
According to police, three armed men forced their way into the victims' apartment and immediately entered the couple's bedroom.
The thieves handcuffed the 32-year-old male victim and proceeded to wrap the 31-year-old woman in a bedsheet, before moving her to another room, police said.
Authorities say the burglars used handguns to beat the male victim as they demanded money and asked him where his safe was.
The victim refused to provide any information and the thieves then began to use a hot spoon to burn the victim's left arm.
Police say the burglars then ransacked the apartment and left with a safe, jewelry and 25 pairs of sneakers. They fled the apartment building in a white SUV heading northbound on Franklin Avenue.
EMS responded to the scene shortly after and treated the male victim for his injuries. The 31-year-old woman was unharmed. It remains unclear who called for help.
All three suspects are described as Hispanic men.
Three men wanted in connection with a Bronx home invasion.NYPD
The first was last seen in a dark-colored baseball cap, a black mask, black and white gloves, a black and green sweatsuit and black and white sneakers.
The second suspect wore a black hooded jacket, gray gloves, blue jeans and black sneakers, and the third wore a red baseball cap, a dark-colored hooded sweater, blue jeans and white sneakers.
A thief carries several items stolen from a Bronx home on Sunday, July 18, 2021.NYPD
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.
