Home-Invasion Robbers Terrorize Family

Several robbers wearing bandannas and ski masks forced their way into a home Monday morning, terrorizing a family and stealing several thousand dollars in cash, as well as the family’s sport utility vehicle, police said.

About 7:30 a.m., a woman was forced from her parked car in the driveway of a residence on South Broadway, Police Sgt. Raul Luna said.

Three robbers--each armed with a handgun--pushed the woman back into the home, gathered the rest of the residents into the living room and demanded drugs and money.

“There was no indication whatsoever that the family or residents are any way tied to narcotics,” Luna said. “We are not sure why they asked for drugs.”

The victims included two toddlers. A 21-year-old woman was slapped in the face by a gunman and had her mouth taped shut. The others were not physically harmed.

The fourth robber, a woman, stayed outside in the getaway car, described as a brownish-red sedan.

Luna said it was unusual for the family, which owns a wholesale produce market in Santa Ana, to have so large a sum of money at home, but that they had not made their regular night deposit.

The robbers were last seen heading south on Broadway driving the victims’ Ford Expedition, trailed by the sedan. A witness gave police a partial license plate number--4QXE--for the sedan.