Burbank woman kidnapped off street, forced to take robbers to her house

A 50-year-old Burbank woman was unharmed Tuesday afternoon after she was forced into a blue sport utility vehicle by robbers who took her home to steal her jewelry, police said.

The woman told police she was walking east on Verdugo Avenue from the Buena Vista Library at about 3 p.m. to pick up a prescription when a man asking for directions forced her into the back seat of a female accomplice’s SUV and demanded “her money, phone and to know where she lives, threatening to harm her,” Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.

Upon arriving at the woman’s home, the pair stole jewelry and fled the scene, Ryburn added.

“That’s pretty brazen,” Ryburn said, adding that police are investigating the matter and asking for the public’s assistance. “This is not a common occurrence.”

A few minutes after the pair fled, the woman used a neighbor’s phone to call police.

The male suspect was described as 25 to 30 years old, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, 180 pounds and wearing black jeans. The female suspect was described as being 45 to 50 years old, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 150 pounds, and wearing black pants and a blue top.

The make, model and license plate number for the vehicle were not known, but police asked that anyone who may have seen a blue SUV in the area at around the time of the kidnapping or robbery to call (818) 238-3210.

-- Maria Hsin, Times Community News

Twitter: @mariahsin