A teenager's 911 call helped thwart an early-afternoon home invasion on Long Island that began when a man holding a bouquet of flowers showed up at her family's front door and brandished a handgun, police said Saturday.
Six New York City men were arrested on charges including first-degree robbery, criminal use of a firearm, conspiracy and burglary, Nassau County police said.
Most of the more than $100,000 in jewelry and cash taken Friday in suburban Woodbury was recovered, said Detective Lt. Kevin Smith, a spokesman for the department. He declined to identify the victims, none of whom were seriously hurt.
Smith commended the 18-year-old woman's actions in helping to hinder the home invasion.
"Her actions were great," he said. "If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have had officers there within two minutes."
The brazen home invasion on Orchard Drive began about 1:20 p.m. Friday, when a 26-year-old woman opened the door to what looked like a man with a flower delivery and instead got a gun pointed at her. The man ordered her to lie on the floor, and he and three others went inside. One of them also had a handgun, and another was armed with what appeared to be a stun gun, police said.
One of the intruders confronted a 61-year-old woman coming out of the kitchen, Smith said, asking her "Where's the money and the jewelry?" She led him upstairs to a bedroom, where she was tied up with duct tape.
Meanwhile, the teenager ran to her bedroom, secured herself behind her locked bathroom door and dialed 911, Smith said. But one of the intruders found her, and pulled her out, asking if she had a phone and warning that she "better have not called the police," Smith said.
Two other people in the home were also confronted and told to lie down on the floor, he said.
Police arrived outside, and the suspects fled out the back of the house as officers entered and began to pursue them, Smith said. Three men were arrested shortly afterward at a nearby golf course. Three other suspects were arrested later.
Smith said the investigation was ongoing, but it appeared the family had been targeted.
Defendants Michael Mohammed, 23, and Randolph Chase 31, both of Brooklyn, and Glen Campbell 32, of Richmond Hill, Queens, were arrested on the grounds of the Woodbury Country Club shortly after the robbery, police said.
After an investigation, defendants Goutam Persaud 24, of Jamaica, Queens, and Aadam Yusuf 29, of South Ozone Park were arrested at 750 Woodbury Road, Woodbury, cops said.
Defendant Jose Fuertes 27,of Brooklyn was arrested on Saturday at 3:50 a.m. at his home, according to police. All six defendants were charged with Robbery 1st Degree, Burglary 1st Degree, Criminal Use of a Firearm 1st Degree and Conspiracy 4th Degree. They were being arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on Sunday.
