Three masked intruders pistol-whipped and tied up a man early Thursday in his Silver Lake home in what the victim said was a set-up involving a woman with whom he was in an "on again, off again" dating relationship.
After the intruders entered the home and wrapped plastic wrap around his head, the woman began loading up a backpack with items in the residence as he was held at gunpoint, the victim told police. The man, a 47-year-old ride-share driver, said he met the woman about nine months ago when she was a customer.
The two had what the man described as an "on again, off again" relationship, police said.
Money, a debit card and other items were stolen. The men repeatedly asked Rothenberg about the location of guns, a safe and money. They also demanded his debit card PIN.
"I was tied up, I was gagged, and they told me not to say nothing or they're going to kill me," said Jay Rothenberg.
Rothenberg told NBC4 that he had previously loaned the woman money and helped her get a job. Last night's series of events began after she called and asked to visit him at his apartment.
Minutes after she arrived, the woman apparently let the three men into the residence.
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"I've lent this person a few bucks before, gave her a little help after picking her up doing ride-share," Rothenberg said. "Next thing you know, she gets up and three armed black gentlemen come in with guns drawn on me and ransacked my house and pretty much tortured me for 50 minutes."
The group left in a silver four-door Chevrolet.
