EXCLUSIVE: Victim speaks out after string of violent home invasions continue in South SJ

In the surveillance videos, the men are seen entering the backyard and peering into a sunroom window

Dion Lim Image
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: String of violent home invasions continue in South SJ
Police are investigating a string of frightening home invasion robberies in the South San Jose, as one victim says he "failed" to secure his home.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Days after two frightening home invasion robberies in San Jose, victimizing a family of two seniors and another father and his infant son, police are investigating several more incidents in the south part of the city.

A young man who asked to be identified only as Peter, shows the path two individuals took as they climbed over a pile of wood and over a side fence of his family's South San Jose property. He says the attempted home invasion one week ago felt like defeat.

"I felt like I failed. I failed to secure the home, I could have ruined my entire family."

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The men can be seen on one of the home's many surveillance cameras entering the backyard and peering into a sunroom window.

"Why are they doing this? It's so stupid, just get a job!" exclaims Peter.

What's most frightening, Peter's brother and 90-year-old grandmother who has dementia were inside at the time. The family didn't even know the incident happened until they saw a left-behind crowbar -- seven hours later.

While nobody was physically hurt, another family that very same day was not so lucky.

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A still from video used in the SJPD investigation shows armed men enter the home of an 83-year-old grandpa, who was hit in the head and transported to the hospital.

That image is eerily similar to surveillance video, provided to ABC7 of the family in yet another home invasion robbery, also in San Jose. This one happened just on Monday. In this case, the suspects, according to their daughter, pistol-whipped a woman in her 60s and held her husband against his will on another floor of the home.

The two individuals appear to be dressed as mail carriers, and pull out a long object to enter the home.

Officer Steven Aponte of the San Jose Police Department says the crimes have a "very similar criminal pattern" and the department has put a high priority on the crimes.

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While not updates on the investigation can be shared at this time, Aponte encourages neighbors communicate with each other.

"If a neighborhood feels like it's a time to host a crime prevention meeting or neighborhood watch meeting we offer those services now that we've transitioned to zoom meetings, we can hold in-person meetings as long as a certain number of neighbors are able to come together."

While I've spoken to members of the other home invasions, they're still too shaken to go on camera. Peter sends this message to them.

"It's not bad to speak out to let everyone in your general vicinity to stay safe."