82-year-old tied up during Durham home invasion

Police were dispatched at 4:51 a.m. to a house in the 3800 block of Hillgrand Drive, where, the victim said, a man and woman kicked in her back door and took electronics, firearms and jewelry before restraining her.

The two fled in the victim's 2002 tan four-door Cadillac DeVille with North Carolina license plate XTK-1423, Durham police said.

According to a 911 recording released Tuesday afternoon, the suspects knocked the victim in the head and tied her with duct tape and covered her with a blanket so she couldn't see. She was able to escape to a neighbor's for help about 20 minutes after the suspects left.

"She came over here with a chair attached to her," the neighbor said in the call.

The woman was taken to Duke University Hospital, where she was treated for injuries and released.

"She's a little battered and bruised and confused, but she is doing good," said the victim's daughter, Pamela Roberts. "She's doing as well as can be expected."

Detailed descriptions of the suspects were not available, but investigators are asking that anyone with information call Durham police at 919-560-4583, ext. 29364, or Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200.

Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases. Callers do not have to identify themselves.

"I'm angry that these people think they have the right to come into someone else's home in the early-morning hours and do this to an 82-year-old person," Roberts said.