Police: Man Sneaked Into Home In Quiet Staten Island Community, Brutally Beat Woman
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A peaceful neighborhood on the South Shore of Staten Island was on edge Thursday night, after a woman was beaten and robbed inside her home.
As CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported, investigators had been at the scene almost 12 hours late Thursday, going through a home from top to bottom to find any clues that will lead them to the brazen and brutal robber.
Neighbors were nervous the suspect might still be on the loose.
"Really scared, you know?" said neighbor Mary Santaromita. "Like, I was looking around the paper; I'm looking at my block, and I'm like, 'Oh my God.' This doesn't happen here."
Santaromita said her neighbor, a mother in her late 30s, is pleasant and keeps to herself. She could not believe someone would break into the woman's home on busy Huguenot Avenue near Capellan Street and then attack the woman.
"I've been living here since 1987. We never had anything happen," Santaromita said. "Everybody knows everybody. We're like a very small block; dead-end street. So we all know each other. You know, it's a very family oriented block."
Police said around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the suspect put a chair next to a window outside the house and climbed inside. The woman who lives there was at home and startled the prowler, and police said the suspect beat her over the head what was believed to be a pipe.
The suspect then robbed the woman of cash and jewelry, police said.
"We have a whole block of cops and firemen. These things don't happen," Santaromita said. "And right on Huguenot Avenue in the middle of the day -- that's scary."
Police said there was no history of any criminal activity at the home. They continued to search for the suspect late Thursday.
The victim was taken to Staten Island University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
On Monday, there was another violent home invasion on the other side of Staten Island. Police have been looking into the possibility that they are connected.
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