Family Robbed by Police Impostors

Home-invasion robbers posing as police tied up and beat a Fountain Valley family late Wednesday, authorities said, the second attack at the home in 15 months.

The father, who owns a construction business, was beaten and pistol-whipped as he was sleeping. He was hospitalized with facial cuts and an arm wound, police said. The man, who was not identified, is expected to recover.

Police, who declined to identify the victims, said they were called about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday after four to six men wearing dark clothing marked with what appeared to be police insignias barged through a rear door of the two-story home on Berg River Circle, officers said.

It was unclear whether the rear door was unlocked or if the father’s teenage sons, who were awake downstairs, opened the door for the robbers, believing they were police, said Fountain Valley Police Sgt. Kevin Thomas.

“The suspects verbally identified themselves as being the police,” Thomas said. “They referred to each other as ‘officer.’ ”

One robber also flashed a gold badge and another was holding a handgun, Thomas said. The robbers, believed to be in their 20s, spoke to each other in English and Spanish.

Authorities said some of the robbers went upstairs and beat the father while the others ordered the man’s wife and two young daughters to go downstairs to sit on a couch.

The father and the teens were then tied up before the intruders ransacked the kitchen and bedrooms, police said. The suspects fled with cash and jewelry, police said.

The family was also victimized during a home invasion robbery May 13, 2003, police said.

After the earlier incident, the father told police he was confronted by two men -- one armed with a gun -- when he left for work about 5 a.m. The men ordered him back in the house, ransacked it and left with cash, Thomas said.

No arrests have been made in either case, which police said may be connected to the family’s business.”There’s certainly a possibility that they could be linked,” Thomas said. “We’re looking real hard at that.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (714) 593-4485.