Email

Print

Monica Bodden got a first - hand account today:

Monica Bodden Reporting

The home invasion happened here at the Donaire's residents located in the Driftwood Bay Community at mile 4 on the Northern Highway.

The family was assaulted inside the first floor of their 3 story home around 10:30 last night - the 4 men, who were all armed with firearms and had on no mask on their faces, entered the Donaire's home through their front door that was left unlock.

2 family members were on the second floor and saw the men entered the house -that was when they began shouting to alert the others who were asleep.

Today we spoke with one of the victims - fearing for her life, she asked to appear off camera.

Voice Of: Home Invasion Victim
"This happened around 10:30, and everybody was sleeping. I was in my bed. Then we heard my brother start screaming. He was shouting for my boyfriend, and we got up - because we thought they were trying to steal the cars. When we got up, my boyfriend came up and pulled the machete at them. He charged with the machete after them. And they then held him and my mom at gunpoint in that corner. So by the time I saw that happened, I ran back into my room and lock myself in. During that time, it looked like they cut all wires that they could find. We had DVD players up there, the fan, the wires for the hammock that we installed for baby, and they took all of them, and they tied them on the ground."

Reporter
"You have many dogs. Did they alert you? Were the dogs barking last night?"

Voice Of: Home Invasion Victim
"Yes they did the job yesterday; they alerted us, but it looked like they had pepper spray, so they were trying to spray the dogs. The dogs ran, but they were barking."

At the time - 9 occupants were inside the Donaire's house. Out of the nine, 7 were tired up with ropes used from a baby's hammock and wires the robbers cut from DVD players and fans.

Voice of: Home Invasion Victim
"They were knocking and lashing them with a machete, and they were beating them. They knocked them with the gun. One of them had a gun butt to the head. My father had a gun but to his hand, and they lashes of the machete on his hands."

While hearing the commotion in the living room, this young woman locked herself inside her bedroom and then called a family friend for help.

Voice Of: Home Invasion Victim
"I heard that they were demanding - they were beating them, and my brother was screaming. They were asking them about the location of the money and guns. They wanted the money and the guns, and they were beating my brother and father. I could clearly hear them say that we don't have any money and that we don't keep any money here, and that we don't believe in guns."

Monica Bodden
"Do you think that because your dad has a business they thought that -"

Voice Of: Home Invasion Victim
"They thought we keep money and a gun, but we don't keep those things here."

Monica Bodden
"So you dialed for help while inside the room?"

Voice Of: Home Invasion Victim
"While inside the room yes, I dialed for help and thank God, I got an answer."

Monica Bodden
"You called who?"

Voice Of: Home Invasion Victim
"I called my sister-in-law, and they called the police for me."

She was later forced to come out the room - after the robbers threatened that they will start shooting.

Voice Of: Home Invasion Victim
"They told me to come out, because if not, they would kill someone, so I had to come out of the room. So by that time, they had me sitting there, and when they heard the car, they began asking me who I called because they found a phone in the room. I told them them that I hadn't called anyone. They ran when the heard the car, and they thought that I called police or someone. So, they ran. I was kind of nervous, so I waited 5 minutes and I hurriedly closed the door."

The vehicle that was parked outside the Donaire's driveway was a family friend who was trying to scare away the robbers. In his attempt - his mission was successful because the men began to panic and then fled the Donaire's home after being inside for over an hour.

But while leaving the house, police was already outside and so the robbers in a pursuit to escape - jumped the fence behind the yard and ran through this swampy lot behind this residential area. Police fired several shots which caught one of them in the shoulder. He was later identified as Chris Reyes, who was recently charged in September of last year with the offences of keeping an unlicensed firearm and robbery after holding up a man at gunpoint and stealing his backpack. Reyes is at the KHMH receiving treatment - while the other two assailants made good their escape.

Today this pair of slippers was found at the side door of the Donaire's home along with a couple pair of boots. This indicates to them that the robbers may have entered their yard from behind the house.

But strangely they say this home invasion was well planned out because since last week neighbors have been seeing the four men lurking around the Donaire's house.

Voice Of: Home Invasion Victim
"This is the first time they actually came in, but we have heard incidents. They neighbors have told us of incidents and that this is the third time. They've tried to get in before when we were not around. Last week, we were sitting, and someone, who we don't know, came to the window, and they were looking inside, thinking that we were not here."

The men did not leave empty-handed. Stolen from the Donaire's were an assortment of jewelries, cell phones, 2 laptop computers and other electronic devices along with an undisclosed amount of cash. The man who police shot, Chris Reyes was recently charged in September of last year with the offences of keeping an unlicensed firearm and robbery after allegedly holding up a man at gunpoint and stealing his backpack.

It is of very significant note that in December of 2009, 20 year old Leonel Jose Donaire - of a Driftwood Bay Adress was found dead near Faber's Road Extension - all the way across town. He was killed elsewhere and then dumped on Jabiru Street - which is off Faber's road. His hands were tied and he had been shot to the head.