LAFAYETTE — Three robbers who invaded a home here Tuesday night, taking valuables and personal items and injuring two residents, were being sought by police Wednesday.
It was the second home invasion robbery in the city in less than a month. Authorities said it is too early in the investigation to say if they believe the two incidents are related.
The robbery was reported about 11 p.m. Tuesday at a home in the 1100 block of Crestmont Drive, south and west of Happy Valley Road.
Police said three suspects, one armed with a pistol, entered the residence through an open garage door about 7:30 p.m. A man who lived there was assaulted and then he and his wife were both restrained, authorities said.
The suspects then went through the home stealing property, police said, before fleeing, leaving the residents restrained. It took the pair several hours before they were able to free themselves and call 911.
Both victims suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital.
The prior home invasion robbery happened on the night of October 31, at about 8:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of Martino Road in the city’s Springhill neighborhood. In that case, three suspects, one with a gun, forced their way into the home through the front door and assaulted one resident. Another resident was later injured.
The suspects spent an hour inside the home before fleeing with the victims’ BMW, as well as personal items and valuables. The BMW was later found in Oakland.
The robbery took place on the same night as a fatal shooting at a Halloween party in Orinda, which left five people dead and several others injured by gunfire. Two Orinda police officers had been assisting Lafayette police at the time of the shooting and were in Oakland recovering the BMW.
On Wednesday, Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston announced that additional patrols will work in Lafayette and Orinda, using fully marked patrol vehicles.
“Anytime we see a rise in criminal activity, especially violent crime, we react immediately,” Livingston said. “The citizens of Orinda and Lafayette should know we are out in force — some measures will be highly visible like our additional patrol deputies and other measures will be more covert. Our goal remains unchanged, to keep Contra Costa families safe.”