"Don't yell, just open the door": Woman pushed inside, tied up during Queens home invasion, police say
NEW YORK -- Police are searching for two suspects in a frightening home invasion in the Rosedale section of Queens.
Police released new video Friday after a woman was ambushed at her front door, CBS2's Natalie Duddridge reported.
The video shows a 32-year-old woman opened the front door at around 9 p.m. on Aug. 10 when, according to police, a man went up to her, flashed a gun and said "Don't yell, just open the door."
"It's just scary. It's very, very scary," said a neighbor who told CBS2 he didn't realize he was witnessing a crime at first.
"First man who came up, he kind of covered her over, like with a hug," he said. "I couldn't see faces or anything. I thought it was maybe a friend."
Eventually, he realized something was wrong.
"Why would someone wear a hood?" he said.
According to investigators, two hooded men forced themselves inside the woman's home near 249th Street and 147th Avenue, struck her across the face and tied her hands and feet.
The suspects broke open a safe and stole $19,000 cash, $12,000 worth of jewelry and the victim's cellphone.
"Then I heard a sound. When I looked I saw a white Highlander pulled up to the gates," the neighbor said. "One of the guys was coming this direction, and the other one run towards him and called him and they went back inside and they drove off."
The woman freed herself from the ties, ran outside and saw the suspects leave in what police said was a white Toyota SUV.
"Then I saw the young lady. She came out and she could not speak. She was crying, frightened. At that time, I was frightened," said the neighbor.
The neighbor told CBS2 he had a new surveillance camera installed Friday. Others said they're on alert.
"Very scared. I would panic, of course," a woman said.
"I would comply, but I'd still have a plan in my head," another woman said.
The first suspect was described as being 6-feet tall, wearing dark glasses, a mask and a hoodie with a white "NYC" logo. The second suspect was described as being about 6-feet tall, wearing black clothes.
The woman suffered minor injuries, but was not hospitalized.
Police don't believe the suspects and victim knew each other. They're investigating if she was targeted.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
