A Manhattan Beach husband and wife were tied up and one was beaten while robbers ransacked their home early Wednesday, police said.
Four men entered the home in the 100 block of Morningside Drive just after midnight by breaking a lower level window while the residents were out, Manhattan Beach police said.
When the residents, Fred Stanger and his wife, returned home, the robbers tied them up and beat Stanger, police said.
"They had me on the ground and were just beating on me like kicking and stomping on my head," Stanger said.
The robbers then forced Stanger to open a safe before stealing money and guns kept inside, police said.
The robbers busted holes in the walls of the couple's home, and one held the pair at gunpoint.
"The guy had the gun on us and cocked the gun and stood there and looked at us," Stanger said.
Ten to 15 seconds passed before the robber decided not to shoot and fled with the others.
Stanger and his wife eventually freed themselves and called 911.
Stanger's advice for other Manhattan Beach residents: be aware and don’t ignore the warning signs.
When Stanger arrived home, he noticed the screens removed from his windows, but he walked in anyway.
The robbers were described as ranging in age from 19 to 35 years old. They were all wearing dark clothing and either baseball caps or hoodies. More detailed descriptions were not available.
The Manhattan Police Department has assigned a full team of detectives to this case, Manhattan Beach Police Sgt. Paul Ford said.
"I’d say they’re very dangerous," Ford said.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact Detective Mike Rosenberger at 310-802-5127.
