Home Invasion Robbers Terrorize South Pasadena Woman, Steal $40K In Jewelry

SOUTH PASADENA (CBSLA.com) — Officials say a South Pasadena woman was terrorized in her residence by two home invasion robbers who made off with more than $40,000 worth of cash and jewelry.

Diana Wong told CBS2's Greg Mills she was frightened during the entire ordeal. Wong lives in the 1500 block of Camino Lindo

"I'm happy I'm alive and that is what is important," Wong said, "Everything else could be replaced."

She told police that two men tied her up at knifepoint.

They took cash, the aforementioned jewelry and even made off with her safe.

"I tallied up what they took and it was mostly jewelry," Wong said.

Wong says she got home just after 6 p.m. on Friday when she found someone had smashed her sliding glass door. There were also two men inside the house.

"They had a knife, and basically one of them started grabbing my arms and he started pulling the diamond ring off my right hand. I said 'Don't do that. I'll do it for you.'  And then they said, 'Where is the jewelry? Where are you hiding everything?'"

She was worried the men would kill her. Panicked, she couldn't remember the combination to the safe.

"They tied her up with a pillow case and electrical cord," said Sgt. Jim Valencia with the South Pasadena Police Department.

Wong was able to break free after the men left.

She told Mills she had a security alarm system on her house but didn't have it on last night. She said she lived in the area for years and thought she was safe.

Wong told Mills she is shaken but okay.

The two suspects are at large.