Man tied up with duct tape during home invasion in Heights area

(1/30/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- What started as an online chat ended with a west Houston man tied up in his own home. Police tell us the homeowner invited two men over Monday night, but he wasn't expecting what happened next.

Still wearing the duct tape used to tie him up, the shaken homeowner showed police what happened, describing how two men he met on an Internet chat room came into his home on Floyd at Hartman, robbing him at knifepoint. That 31-year-old man suffered a minor knife wound as a result of that robbery.

"If things continue like that, that's something to worry about, you know," said neighbor John Hunter.

Hunter says he's shocked to hear about the crime. He was under the impression that this part of Houston was safe, but other neighbors who have lived there a bit longer worry crime is slowly creeping in.

"My neighbor and I heard gunshots," said neighbor Bruce Coy.

Coy still remembers the scene in 2005 when he discovered the bodies of two of his neighbors murdered in their town home.

"If there's cameras here, we get police. If there's not, then we don't get them," he said. "I hate to be that rude. I'm a supporter."

While crime concerns do exist, it's important to point out in the latest case, the homeowner did invite the suspects into his home. The two men reportedly confessed to the homeowner that they had done this before as they apologized for committing the crime.

One suspect is described as a white male, 6'0" and about 170 pounds. He's between the ages of 25 and 32 years old. He's unshaven and goes by the name of Ricky. The second suspect is a white male, 5'10", also 170 pounds. He's either 33 or 34 years old. He's also unshaven. Anyone with information about either of these two suspects is urged to call police.

We put our exclusive Crime Tracker to work in the area surrounding the 3900 block of Floyd, where Monday night's robbery happened. In the first 11 months of 2006, there was one murder, three rapes, 40 assaults and 48 robberies in that area.

Police are not sure if last night's robbery is connected to any others in the same area.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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