CYPRESS

A local woman and a Laguna Niguel man were arrested Tuesday afternoon after the two allegedly blindfolded and tortured a contractor working on the woman’s home.

Gail Karin Troncoso, 41, allegedly arranged for the contractor to come alone to her two-story, single-family home in the 11600 block of Malden Street in order to resume work on a major remodeling project.

Instead, authorities said, Troncoso and Laguna Niguel resident Mark Lopez, 44, held the contractor at gunpoint and tried to force him to return stocks and bonds that Troncoso had used to pay for the work.

Lt. Mike Idom of the Cypress Police Department said Troncoso and Lopez blindfolded the contractor with duct tape, hit him on the head with a handgun and cut him on the hands and face with a knife.

The contractor, who police described as a 39-year-old La Habra man, escaped after struggling with Lopez and hitting him with a screwdriver, Idom said.

The contractor fled to a home on the street, where residents called 911 about 1:20 p.m., he said.

Troncoso and Lopez were arrested on suspicion of extortion, assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and kidnapping. They both remained in custody Tuesday night in lieu of $250,000 bail each.