Gunmen invade Richburg home

Grandfather injured; tot, women threatened

By Toya Graham - Toya Graham

RICHBURG -- Three masked and armed men held a man, two women and a toddler hostage early Tuesday and threatened to kill them unless given $5,000, according to police.

A 49-year-old grandfather suffered minor cuts on his face and shoulder but did not require medical attention after the home invasion, said Lt. Scott Thompson of the Chester County Sheriff's Office.

No arrests have been made in the home invasion, which happened around 2 a.m. Tuesday on the 4500 block of Hunter Road.

"They kicked open the front door," Thompson said of the masked trio. "The grandfather was hit multiple time with a pistol."

In addition to the 49-year-old man, two women and a 1-year-old male toddler were at the house during the incident.

"They were tied with electrical cords," said Thompson, who added the toddler was not restrained with the cords.

One of the men used the 49-year-old man's cell phone to call the man's son. The caller told the son that "he had the victims at gunpoint and threatened to kill them," according to a report from the sheriff's office.

As authorities waited for the Chester County SWAT team, the man called back and demanded $5,000 and threatened to kill the family if he didn't get it, the report notes.

Bell said the men demanded money or drugs.

"They finally figured out they (the family) didn't have either and left," Bell said.

The men fled the home with a safe and other items, Thompson said.

Authorities found the family locked in a bathroom, according to the report.

If caught, the people responsible for the incident face multiple charges, including four counts of kidnapping, armed robbery and first-degree burglary, Thompson said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Chester County Sheriff's Office at (803) 581-5131 or Chester County Sheriff's Crime Hotline at 1-800-875-5546.