Two Elderly Women Beaten, Tied Up In Miami Home Invasion Robbery
MIAMI (CBS4) - Two elderly women are recovering after police say two men posing as delivery men stormed into their home, beat and tied them up before robbing them.
Miami-Dade Police detectives were called to the home near the intersection of SW 3 Lane and 87 Path just after 3 p.m. Thursday.
Karla Vigon-Montenegro, 63, and her mother, Berta Garcia, 91, were taken to the hospital after being beaten in the home invasion robbery, police said.
"These are individuals that are brazen," Miami-Dade Police Det. Alvaro Zabaleta said. "To batter a 91 year old lady? It's unheard of."
The two attackers are described "white, Latin males."
One man kept his face covered, Det. Zabaleta said.
When one of the women opened the front door, the men forced themselves in. Once inside, police say the women were beaten and tied up with tape while the men ransacked the home.
"They did receive facial injuries, head injuries because of the fact that they were being punched," Zabaleta said. "If these individuals are capable of doing this, they're capable of doing anything."
When they left, the men also took a 2010 white Lexus LS 460 that was parked out front, according to detectives.
The vehicle had Florida tag 993-XUJ.
Vigon-Montenegro was able to free herself and call 911 more than a half an hour later.
Neighbors in the community near Southwest 87th Avenue just south of Flagler Street said it's generally a safe place to live.
"It's calm," Dafne Quiroga said. "Never heard of anything like this happening here."
Her neighbor, Lazaro Gomez, also described the community as "very calm".
"Nothing ever happens around here," Gomez told CBS 4's Lauren Pastrana. "Alarms in the houses. It's all good."
But not even the threat of a crime watch group, cameras, or security systems deterred the men from committing this crime.
Quiroga says she's going to remind her kids not to open the door to strangers.
"I'm worried," she said while looking at her children. "We always get deliveries. No more. No more deliveries. No more opening the door."
Investigators hope surveillance cameras from nearby homes or a tip from a vigilant neighbor provides a clue that leads to an arrest.
"We want neighbors to be aware of this so that way they know don't open the door if you don't know them," Zabaleta said.
He urged people to call police and let them investigate.
The men got away with cash and the car. It's not clear if any other items were stolen from the home.
Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
