Teen-Age Robbers Hold 11 at Gunpoint in Home Invasion

Five armed teen-agers burst into a Santa Ana residence Friday and held 11 people at gunpoint for about an hour before escaping with a considerable amount of cash, jewelry and weapons, police said.

Investigators withheld the identities of the victims, saying the robbers had threatened to return and harm them if they called police.

However, Santa Ana Police spokeswoman Maureen Haacker said the robbery fit the pattern of similar home invasions in which Vietnamese gangs prey on other Asian-Americans.

Haacker said the five teen-agers entered a house in the 1000 block of South Jackson Street about 12:50 p.m. The suspected gang members were armed with four handguns and a knife, and wore ski masks and bandannas.

The robbers used the cord from video games to tie up the 11 people, including at least four children, Haacker said.

During the next hour, they ransacked the house. They made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, some jewelry, two rifles and two handguns, Haacker said.

Haacker said police received vague descriptions of two getaway vehicles and were continuing an investigation.

“This kind of crime occasionally occurs in our city,” Haacker said. “In this case, we’re fortunate that no one was harmed.”