San Bruno

San Bruno Man Says $20K, 2 Puppies Stolen in Armed Home Invasion

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A San Bruno man says he and his family are rattled after armed intruders entered their home Friday night, assaulting him and making off with $20,000 in cash and his two English bulldog puppies.

Police confirmed to NBC Bay Area that an armed home invasion burglary happened Friday night in San Bruno.

"Several armed suspects entered the victim's residence, where the victim was assaulted and numerous personal items were taken from the victim and the residence," police Sgt. Scott Smithmatungol said in an email Sunday. Smithmatungol added that there "is no current active threat to the public at this time" related to this case and that "due to the complexity of this incident" the department is not releasing any further details about this case while the investigation continues.

NBC Bay Area spoke with the San Bruno resident who said he was the victim in this armed home invasion. The man didn't want to be identified due to his continued fear for his own safety. He shared home security camera footage from the night of the burglary with NBC Bay Area.

In the video at the time stamp showing 9:33 p.m., three individuals can be seen entering the yard of the home and crouching down. The video quickly stops, and the man who lives in that home said the intruders had cut off the cameras.

The victim told NBC Bay Area he was sitting in his home when he was confronted by the first armed individual with a mask on. He said the individual asked him for a very specific bag of money he had.

"I thought I was gonna die as soon as they came in," the man said.

The other two armed individuals arrived soon after.

"Three individuals ran in my living room with AR-15s with .45 caliber, with intent to kill if I didn’t give them what they wanted," the man recalled.

The man said he walked the intruders to his safe and gave them $20,000 in cash he had in a bag. The man said during the whole process, the intruders hit him in the ribs and on the head with their weapons, leaving bruising.

The intruders then looked around his house for more money, but didn't find any, he said. The zip-tied his hands, had him lay down on his stomach, he added.

Then, he said the intruders left, taking with them an Xbox, jewelry, a 49ers helmet, shoes, and his two English bulldog puppies. The man said his two puppies, Hercules and Tootsie, were just eight weeks old. The man said he believes the intruders were in his home for about 13 minutes.

Now, he is terrified for his own safety and that of his family.

"This is where my wife sleeps, this is where my kids sleep. [The intruders] had no remorse for what they did," the man said.

He also said that the money stolen was his family savings, money that he and his wife had hoped to use for IVF to have a baby.

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