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88 Year Old Man And 83 Year Old Wife, Gagged & Bound By Robbers
posted (June 8, 2012)
Yesterday morning an elderly couple was targeted in a terrifying home invasion. 88 year old Frederick Avilez and his 83 year old wife were at home when 3 men tied them up and robbed them of almost everything. We spoke to them today where they recounted the appalling ordeal for us.

Robin Schaffer reporting
Yesterday morning around 10:30, Frederick Avilez was having his ritual morning tea while his wife was changing in her room when a gunman appeared at his back door.

Frederick Avilez - Home Invasion Victim
"All of a sudden this guy came through the door with a gun in his hand. The door was open, he told me to put my hands behind my back. I put my hands behind my back and he tied them then he went inside my wife's room."

Emily Avilez - Victim of Home Invasion
"I was here in my room clearing up my bed because I was going out and all of a sudden like a shadow came over - his hand was around my throat. He told me not to make any noise; I saw that he had a knife in his hands towards my throat. I did not make any noise. He told me to go outside and so I went outside."

She recalled later that the knife was so sharp that, while it was held to her throat, in her surprise and fear it sliced her finger - something she didn't realize until she was taken into the living room and ordered to sit down.

Emily Avilez - Victim of Home Invasion
"When I sat down he told me that he has to tie up my hands. He tied up my two hands and my feet too. He told me not to make noise because if we did he said that he will have to kill us both. I didn't say anything."

"They began to search all over the place. One of the guys came to me and told me that he will have to blindfold me because they don't want me to see them leaving; that's what he told me. He got this cloth and put it over my face. I told him that it is suffocating me, I asked him to at least put it over my eyes."

"I know they ransacked the house and took the money but I didn't say anything. I know that we could lose something but not my life."

And thankfully, she was not harmed further, but after the robbers left, she and her husband still had to figure out how to escape from their restraints.

Emily Avilez - Victim of Home Invasion
"About 10 minutes after they went, I got up. With my hands tied and my feet tied onto the chair, I stood up from the chair still blindfolded; I then took off the blindfold. I dragged my feet, which were tied to the chair, slowly until I reach the kitchen, and I open a drawer and took out a knife. I used the back of the knife to saw the shoe lacing that was tied to my hands."

"After my hands were freed I freed my feet and I went and released my husband, his mouth was taped and so I released him and cut him away."

And after the trying ordeal, the husband and wife were left to count their losses. They did lose about $700 dollars along with countless pieces of jewelry sent to her over the years from family and friends. This is all that is left of her jewelry collection.

They say that this doesn't seem to be just a random act of violence.

Emily Avilez - Victim of Home Invasion
"When they finished after an hour of searching the place this other guy with the gun out here and the knapsack told a guy over the phone that they will soon be finished and that they will only be here about 15 minutes more. He told me that that was his boss over the phone, he told me that his boss sent him here to hold us up. That's what he told me."

In addition to the valuable jewelry and the $600 cash, the robbers also stole 1 wristwatch and 2 cell phones valued at $240.

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