A group of of robbers pretended to be police, even displayed guns, in order to gain access to a Queens home where they tied up the residents and made off with jewelry.
Surveillance video shows what neighbors said are two of the suspects walking by a nearby home on 109th Street in South Ozone Park, with one appearing to carry a stuffed backpack. A neighbor said they had been circling around the block since around 3 a.m. Tuesday, and thought there was something suspicious about the van.
About two hours later, five robbers got into the home and zip-tied a man and a woman, striking the man in the head with a gun before ransacking the home. The two were tied up in the basement, but how long they were down there and how they were able to get free was still unclear.
The surveillance footage of their getaway shows two of the suspects walking by a fence as the minivan slowly pulls up, eventually coming to a full stop in the street. The pair appears to get in, as well as two more people who came from the other side of the street.
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"My neighbor said she saw a vehicle that looked like it the day prior," said Patrick Beckford. He added that other surveillance video shows what looks like the same minivan on the street Monday as well.
Police were seen coming and going throughout the day Tuesday. They said the robbers made off with an undisclosed amount of jewelry.
The victims were said to be recovering physically and appeared to be back in their home Tuesday night, although they did not wish to speak to the media. Police have not said if they believe the home was targeted or if it was a random robbery.
