FedEx, NYPD impersonators tie up, rob family at Bay Ridge home, police say
BAY RIDGE, Brooklyn (WABC) -- UPDATE: A man accused of posing as the police officer, 53-year-old Santiago Mateo, of Manhattan, was charged with robbery, burglary, unlawful imprisonment and criminal impersonation.
Two men, one impersonating a police officer and one impersonating a FedEx worker, are being sought in a violent Brooklyn home invasion.
Police said the man dressed as a FedEx worker was holding a decoy package when he knocked on the door of the 6th Avenue home in Bay Ridge at around 3:00 p.m. Monday.
When the homeowner opened the door, the fake FedEx worker pushed his way in, police said. Another man, displaying a fake police badge, followed.
Fedex impersonator tie up and robs family from r/nyc
Police said the two tied up three people in the home -- a man, a woman, and an elderly woman -- and stole $40,000 in cash and $80,000 in jewelry from them, likely from a safe.
The apparent robbers then fled the scene, possibly in a getaway vehicle.
Neighbor Gary Baxter was working on his model train display when he went outside and looked out front to check it out. He saw the suspects pushing a big black safe down the driveway, along the sidewalk and into a jeep.
"Pushing a box down the driveway, and I'm saying to myself, this is not right," the neighbor said. "I go into the house, grab my phone, had to hurry up and take the picture of the vehicle."
He also took pictures of the victims before removing the tape around them and calling police.
Authorities say the safe contained $120,000 in cash and jewelry.
The NYPD believes the victims -- who are local business owners -- were targeted.
"They were shook up, that's about the size of it, they were practically numb..no emotion whatsoever," said Baxter.
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