Police: Man Robs 102-Year-Old Mother, Daughter In Toms River Home Invasion
TOMS RIVER, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police are searching for a man who they said robbed a 72-year-old woman and her 102-year-old mother during a home invasion in New Jersey.
As CBS2's Christine Sloan reported, a woman opened her front door and was pushed into a living nightmare.
A man forced his way inside, and attacked her and her mother.
"I was frightened, I was annoyed more than anything," Evelyn Drucker, 102, said.
It happened around 8:40 p.m. Monday at a home on Dock Street in Toms River.
Drucker and her 72-year-old daughter Bonnie were watching TV inside their home when a man in his 30s rang the doorbell
Bonnie answered and he pushed her inside, police said.
"He grabbed me and turned me around, and grabbed me from the back" she said, "He put his arms in front and he started pushing me and I yelled to tell her to call the cops."
The older woman tried to call for help by activating the Lifeline pendant around her neck, but the suspect pushed her to floor and yanked it away before she got the chance.
"He grabbed it off my neck and then he gave it back to me," Evelyn said.
The suspect was apparently polite
"He came and picked me up really gently," Evelyn recalled.
He tried to tie up Bonnie, but failed because it was the wrong kind of tape.
The suspect demanded cash and the victims complied. He fled with about $30.
He was last seen running south on Dock Street.
Police said the suspect was last seen wearing a black knit hat, jeans, and a waist length coat. He had a thin build and appeared to be approximately 5-foot-8.
The mother and daughter have since installed a peep hole on the door.
"We want to remind everybody before you open a door look and see if you know the person. If you're in any doubt phone the police department," Ralph Stocco, Toms River Police Department, said.
Police have been scouring the area to see if there is surveillance tape. They said it was a random crime, more than likely fueled by drug addiction, but they don't believe anyone in the neighborhood is in danger.
Anyone with information should contact Detective Lou Santora of the Toms River Police Department at 732-349-0150 extension 1276.