KEY POINTS
- The two suspects entered the Bronx apartment at around 3 p.m. ET on Monday
- They threatened the two residents of the apartment using a firearm
- The suspects held the victims captive and tortured them for more than 15 hours
- One of the victims escaped and called the police when the suspects fell asleep
A pair of armed home invaders disguised as plumbers entered a Bronx apartment and held two people captive, beating and torturing them with a hot iron, police said on Thursday.
The two robbers, who were dressed in reflective vests and carried a tool bag, entered an apartment in Edenwald at about 3 p.m. ET on Monday, claiming that they had been called to fix the plumbing, reported New York Daily News.
Once they were inside the apartment, the invaders threatened two male residents, aged 28 and 35, by showing them a firearm. The robbers then tied up the residents then beaten and tortured them for around 15 hours inside their home.
At one point, the suspects used a hot clothing iron and burned the 28-year-old victim on his back, reported news outlet Bronx Times. The victim managed to free himself at around 6:41 a.m. ET when the suspects fell asleep. He then ran out of the apartment and alerted the police.
When the police arrived, the suspects had already left the scene. The police could not find the older victim at home but he was later located.
The investigators found out that $2,000 cash and a cell phone had been stolen from the apartment.
Emergency officials took the 28-year-old victim to a hospital where he was treated for his burns and injuries on his head. The police officials said that both the victims have criminal records and have not been cooperative with the investigation.
The detectives believe that at least one of the victims knew the suspects and was aware of why they showed up at their apartment. According to the neighbors, the two men moved into the apartment a month ago.
The suspects were reportedly speaking Spanish. "They were standing by the door and they said they didn't speak any English," one of the neighbors said, noting that the woman next door [to the victims] let them in.
The invaders reportedly tore down the security cameras outside the building and in its hallway. However, the cameras still had images of them, which were released by the police on Thursday.
The police have announced a reward of up to $2,500 for any information regarding the two suspects.
The suspects used a hot clothing iron and burned the 28-year-old victim on his back. Photo: pixabay
