Suspect Terrorizes Elderly Couple During Robbery At Ridgewood Home
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A couple in their 80's was robbed right in their own home by an armed criminal on Wednesday.
Police told CBS2's Steve Langford the suspect, armed to the teeth, forced his way into the couple's Ridgewood, Queens apartment around 5 p.m.
"The knife was under her chin and the gun was on my grandfather's chest," said the couple's granddaughter, who did not want to be identified.
She told CBS2 the suspect had followed her 82-year-old grandmother home from the grocery store, then at the building entrance, put his hand over her mouth and a knife to her throat before demanding cash.
"My grandmother gave him whatever she had. That wasn't enough for him, so he made them look for more money," the granddaughter said.
The grandmother forked over $300, but the suspect pushed his way into the apartment and put a gun to the chest of the woman's 88-year-old husband, who quickly gave the man another $500.
"He threw her onto the couch and told her to sit down," the granddaughter said.
That's when another family member came home and walked in on the heist, apparently scaring the suspect.
"When he heard her, he started running out the door and pushed her out of the way," the granddaughter said.
Even though the suspect was armed with a gun and a knife, the victims' family chased the man down the street, but he got away, Langford reported.
"I can't believe that somebody would actually do that to an elderly couple," said one neighbor.
"It was very shocking around this neighborhood," said another neighbor.
The couple was not physically injured, but was badly shaken by the ordeal.
"For something like this to happen to them after so many years living here and at this age, it's just heartbreaking," said the granddaughter.
The search continues for a suspect capable of such a terrifying crime.
