Women Locked in Closet During Home Invasion

Four people were tied up, possibly for hours, during a violent home invasion early this morning.

According to Philadelphia Police, three armed men in ski masks burst into a row home on the 200 block of S 50th Street in West Philadelphia around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.

There were four friends in the front living room area at the time, one was sleeping, when the men forced their way inside and “made themselves at home,” said Philadelphia Police Captain George Fuchs.

“Basically they were terrorized in their own home,” Fuchs said.

“They ordered all four adult victims onto the floor of the living room area,” Fuchs said. “They forcefully grabbed their hands and tied them up -- one was handcuffed, one was tied with a belt, others were duct-taped – and they left them on the floor.”

One suspect held the victims at gunpoint while the other two ransacked the home, taking various items.

“They were actually in the house for quite a while -- possibly an hour and half, two hours -- while the victims were lying on the floor,” Fuchs said.

Fuchs said they only left after being unable to grab a TV off the wall. But, first they took two women victims and locked them in a closet.

Police arrived around 5:15 a.m. after one of the victims was able to free himself.

Besides cash and some small items, investigators said that the suspects stole the keys to a gray Nissan Altima rental car with Nevada plates.

Investigators said they don’t know why the suspects targeted this particular home.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Philadelphia Police.

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