Family tied up during violent home invasion

By: Chloe Leshner

cleshner@abc6.com

@ChloeLeshner

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Providence family terrorized inside their own home. Police say several men burst into the place, attacking and tying up a couple in front of their young daughter.

Police say the suspects were inside the house on Monticello Street for more than an hour as a family, including a young girl, was locked in the bathroom

"I don’t know who would do something like this, it’s kind of crazy," says Sandra Da Cruz, a neighbor.

Police say 4 to 6 men broke down this front door, stopping the woman who lives there from calling police before tying a cord around her hands and feet and putting her in the bathroom with her daughter.

"The child was also placed in the bathroom but she was not tied up," says Major David Lapatin with the Providence Police Department.

The suspects were speaking in English and Spanish, their faces and hands covered and told the young girl not to look before pistol whipping her father. Then they tied him up too.

"They searched the house thoroughly, for a good long time, looked outside also, and then left with just some minor things they had taken from the house," says Lapatin. He says in this type of break in the suspects are usually looking for drugs or money but drugs don’t seem to be involved here.

"This happens frequently, these people hit the wrong houses," he says. They’re still investigating if that‘s the case.

Neighbors are unsettled and say this came out of nowhere.

"I’m kind of nervous because I have kids and I don’t want them going outside now," says Da Cruz.

There have been a rash of break ins in Providence recently but police say this one isn’t related to the East Side break ins. They’re still investigating if it’s connected to one that happened on Hanover Street on Monday.

(C) WLNE/ABC 6 2018