Robbers Tie Up Employees, Steal Computer Chips

In the second such robbery in Brea in 10 months, armed intruders took over a high-tech firm Tuesday, bound employees and stole computer chips, police said.

Just after 4 p.m., a least five armed men entered Aten Research, Inc., in the 300 block of North Thor Place, according to Detective Grant Gullickson. They bound seven employees, assaulting three of them with blows to the head and stomach.

After scooping up an estimated $100,000 in computer chips, the assailants fled in unidentified vehicles, police said.

A UPS driver who discovered the bound employees minutes later called police. The three injured employees were treated at the scene and released.