Crime & Safety

Predawn Home Invasion Robbery Leads to 5 Arrests

Alleged gang members burst into a San Clemente home at 4 a.m. today and held the resident at knifepoint, authorities say.

Five men who allegedly burst into a San Clemente home just after 4 a.m. Sunday and held the resident at knifepoint before fleeing have been arrested, authorities said.

The men reportedly knocked on a door in the 100 block of Chiquita and forced their way inside after the resident partially opened the door, according to Orange County Sheriff's Lt. Lloyd Downing.

As the suspects broke in, the victim ran to a phone and dialed 911, Downing said. The intruders--all suspected gang members--then held the 43-year-old man at knifepoint and demanded money, Downing said. When the victim said he had no cash, the alleged robbers fled.

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But by then, sheriff's deputies had arrived and set up a perimeter around the area, Downing said.

Find out what's happening in San Clementewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We caught four of them within 15 minutes," Downing said. The last suspect was nabbed at 10:30 a.m. after the sheriff's gang enforcement team conducted surveillance outside a San Clemente home, Downing added.

The suspects--Gustavo GutierrezRamirez, 22, Juan Carlos Tovarrodriguez, 19, Raul Ramirez Jr., 20, Christian Enrique Bonilla, 18, and Roberto Farias Mendoza, 18--face charges of home-invasion robbery with gang enhancements, Downing said.

The victim was reportedly uninjured.


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