Police in Aurora, Colorado, are on the lookout for the individuals who pretended to be delivery drivers and robbed a family at gunpoint in their residence.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at 8:45 p.m. Authorities stated that the suspects were attired in construction vests and falsely claimed to be delivering a package.
The Rodriguez family expressed their ongoing shock and disbelief at the events of the past few days.
Angelo Medina Rodriguez mentioned that he had ordered a video game for his son from Amazon, so he didn’t suspect anything when he saw a man on his Ring Doorbell video mentioning a package delivery.
Rodriguez noted that his 6-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter were at home with their friend and caretaker, David Hernandez, during the incident.
Upon opening the door, Rodriguez recalled three armed men forcing their way in and demanding money.
“When [David] opened the door, they immediately pushed him and grabbed him by the neck,” Rodriguez recounted in Spanish. “They grabbed my daughter and started choking her.”
Hernandez managed to flee through the back door and seek help from a neighbor.
“There was no need to hurt the kids,” Hernandez remarked, mentioning that he has been unable to sleep since the incident.
Rodriguez shared that his children sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital.
He expressed the difficulty of witnessing the impact the ordeal has had on his wife and kids.
‘They didn’t have to hurt the kids’: Armed robbers pose as delivery drivers, invade Aurora home
“My wife doesn’t want to come out, doesn’t want to eat,” he expressed. “My daughter won’t come out of her room.”
Rodriguez expressed a desire to relocate his family to a new residence as they no longer feel safe or comfortable in their current home.
Aurora investigators suspect that the family was targeted due to a business being conducted from their residence. Personal belongings and cash from the business were stolen by the thieves, according to authorities.
The Aurora Police Department advises the community to exercise caution when encountering strangers at their doors. Legitimate delivery drivers typically wear identifiable uniforms, and it is usually unnecessary to be present for a package delivery.
Police recommend exploring alternative delivery arrangements, such as retrieving mail from a P.O. box or selecting a “Hold for Pickup” option.
If any mail or delivery appears suspicious, individuals are advised to contact the carrier and inform their local police department of the incident.
This article was originally published by Kristian Lopez for Scripps News Denver.
