Men Escape After Home Invasion

Two men burst into a Sherman Oaks home Friday and held two people at gunpoint before escaping on foot, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Police went on a citywide tactical alert as they searched for the men following the 12:30 p.m. incident, which was classified as a home-invasion robbery.

The robbery occurred in the 4300 block of Sutton Place, an upscale neighborhood south of Ventura Boulevard. The owner of the home was described as a successful businessman.

The robbers, believed to be in their 20s, knocked on the door of the two-story home shortly after noon. When the maid answered, according to police, the men pushed her face-first to the ground. They then held a second woman, the owner of the house, at gunpoint.

Two painters were upstairs when the incident occurred, but were unaware of what was going on below, police said.

Sometime during the incident a silent alarm was triggered and police responded. By the time they arrived, the robbers had fled. Police closed off streets in the area and brought in dogs to find the robbers, without success.

It was unknown what, if anything, was taken, police said. The maid suffered a minor back injury.

Christmas decorations still adorned the exterior of the large home Friday night, as police helicopters circled above. A 10-foot image of Santa Claus stood in the frontyard.

Neighbors said the family is well-liked. “They are a very close family,” said Marie Cerini, who lives next door.

“This is a very private neighborhood and we keep to ourselves,” said Linda Levitt, a neighbor who lives across the street.

Marsha Walker, another neighbor, said: “My husband is sick so I’ve been in all day. When I came out, I finally asked if I would be able to sleep at night. All [the police] told me was there was a home invasion.”

Times staff writers Jose Cardenas and Tom Schultz contributed to this story.