Terrifying moments unfolded for a family in the Inland Empire early Tuesday morning as two armed men robbed them inside their Rancho Cucamonga home.
At least one person was assaulted during the home invasion around midnight, marking the second such incident for this unfortunate family.
According to a family member who chose to remain anonymous, the invaders gained access to the home by jumping a fence. This is the second time they have been held at gunpoint, with the first incident occurring years ago at a different residence.
Investigators are honing in on a dirt road near the targeted home. The family member speculated that the intruders might have used this route to approach the residence.
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"We got a knock on the door at 5:45 this morning from a police officer asking us if we had seen anything [and] got anything on our cameras," said neighbor Kristin Berzins.
Despite surveillance cameras, no footage capturing the intruders was found.
The targeted home, gated and surrounded by a concrete fence in Rolling Pastures Place, belongs to a husband and wife who moved there a few years ago with their two adult daughters and an adult son. Berzins shared a text exchange with one of the daughters, who described the incident as scary, urging neighbors to lock their doors and revealing that her brother had been struck in the head.
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The assailants held the family at gunpoint, stole property, and fled the area before deputies could arrive, leaving neighbors shaken and concerned about their safety.
Lucy Pacheco, another neighbor, expressed shock at the proximity of the incident, saying, "I'm totally shocked so close to home." Leonardo Santucci added, "It's unbelievable. I mean, this is a nice neighborhood; this house to be picked seems strange."
"It's sad. It's the holidays; people are supposed to be having a holly time, and now we're all really concerned," said Pacheco.
As detectives work to identify the armed intruders, residents in the neighborhood are taking extra safety measures. Isaiah Pacheco mentioned advising his family to stay vigilant, while Lucy Pacheco emphasized the importance of setting alarms and being aware of their surroundings.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the motive for targeting this particular family, authorities confirm that, fortunately, no one was seriously hurt.
