Garden Grove home invaders pose as deliverymen with balloons, flowers

Two Garden Grove homes have been robbed this week by suspects posing as deliverymen, police said.

The group of three or four men committed the first robbery Monday and a second Wednesday, either carrying flowers or holding balloons, according to Garden Grove police.

On Monday, police were called to investigate a home robbery in the 13500 block of Merello Street, where three teenagers were home alone when they heard a knock at the front door. When they looked outside, two males holding flowers indicated they were there to make a delivery, according to police.

When the teens opened the door, three men barged inside with guns and took an unspecified amount of property, police said.

Then on Wednesday, three men walked into a gated complex on the 8500 block of Hewitt Place holding a bouquet of balloons. They entered an end unit through an overhead garage door that the victims had left open for fresh air.

The suspects zip-tied the victims -- three adults and two children -- and pushed them into a closet until they left. A witness reported seeing the suspects leaving carrying the balloons.

Police are looking for three or four black male suspects who were wearing black clothing and jackets. One suspect was seen wearing gold-rimmed aviator glasses and distinctive high-top black basketball shoes with white soles. He was described as being between 20 and 30 years old, 6 feet tall and between 240 and 270 pounds.

Anyone with information was asked to call the Garden Grove Police Department at (714) 741-5800.

For breaking news in Los Angeles and the Southland, follow @Caitlin__Owens, or email her at caitlin.owens@latimes.com.