SUV stolen in Cary home invasion found burning in Durham
CARY (WTVD) -- Durham police are investigating after an SUV that was stolen during a home invasion incident in Cary early Thursday morning was found burning near Shepard Middle School overnight.
Police responded to a report of a vehicle on fire on Anacosta Road near Dakota Street just after midnight.
The blue Ford Explorer was scorched with the windows blown out and some of the paint stripped off.
The 2013 SUV was stolen during a home-invasion style robbery in the 400 block of Sandy Whispers Lane early Thursday morning.
Investigators said five men kicked in a back door and held four people while they went through the home looking for valuables.
A married couple and their roommate were home at the time, along with the couple's young daughter. Police said the little girl was sleeping during the two hours the suspects were in the home.
When they were finished in the home, the suspects took one of the homeowners to an ATM and forced the person to withdraw money.
Pictures released by police showed one of the men at the ATM wearing a mask.
At the home, electronics, jewelry, handbags, and wallets were taken.
One of the victims suffered a minor head wound.
No arrests had been made at this time. Police are still looking for the suspects.
Police believe the suspects are between 18 and 35 years old. All were wearing masks and dark clothing.
Neighbors in the West Cary area worried the family may have been targeted because they're Indian, citing a spike in burglaries last year where, according to them, the victims were mainly Indian.
"There is a large Indian population out in that part of the town, so therefore the houses hit happened to be Indian homes. There was no correlation, nothing we could find to tie them all together to show any particular group was actually being targeted," said Capt. Randall Rhyne with the Cary Police Department.
He said this seems more like a crime of opportunity, one they hope to prevent from happening again.
Anyone near the area during the time of the incident is encouraged to contact the Town of Cary Police Department at (919) 469-4012 or file a report anonymously with Cary Crime Stoppers at (919) 460-4636. Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,500 for the arrest or indictment of those responsible for committing certain types of crimes.
