Suspects In Piedmont Home Invasion May Be Linked To String Of Crimes
PIEDMONT (CBS SF) – Three suspects involved in the frightening home-invasion robbery of a family in Piedmont last weekend were still at large Friday, but police are hopeful newly released surveillance video might lead to clues about the culprits.
The brazen home invasion happened at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Police tell KPIX 5 that it may be connected to string of crimes.
Home surveillance video shows the three suspects walking up the driveway to the home before approaching the victim's front door.
Piedmont Police Captain Chris Monahan described the scary scene.
"They confronted the nine-year-old who answered the door. They pushed him aside and forced their way into the house," said Monahan. "At that time, the Dad heard the commotion of what was happening in the house. Then he came upstairs and confronted those same three individuals. One of them pulled a weapon on the dad and held him at gunpoint."
The criminals suddenly fled without taking anything and no one was hurt during the incident. Monahan said the three suspects are persons of interest in a number of crimes.
"Grand theft and a burglary and a few other crimes. And possibly a carjacking in Berkeley. So it sounds like they may have been conducting a crime spree," explained Monahan.
The sheer number of surveillance cameras operating in Piedmont was helping with the investigation. the In another clip, the suspect vehicle is seen driving away down the street. That camera captured the license plate. Moments later, it was recorded leaving Piedmont and returning to Oakland.
Simon Ho owns the only gas station in town. He says Piedmont is generally pretty quiet.
"Sound scary," said Ho. "I've been here ten years. I feel really safe here."
Local resident Tiffany Hartsinck said the surveillance clip was frightening.
"Everything is a little bit scary, especially with the young boy opening the door," said Hartsinck. "But Piedmont is a safe community and our police department is amazing."
The suspect vehicle had a built in GPS tracker. Investigators went straight to the vehicle but, it was empty.
Monahan is optimistic the department will find the suspects.
"So that car in in custody and we've had the techs going through that car, so the leads are coming together very quickly," said Monahan.
