It's the stuff of nightmares: At about 2:45pm, Sept. 25, three masked men broke into a home on the 1800 block of Laguna St. in Seaside. The three men—armed with handguns—tied up the home's occupants and duct taped their faces, then set about stealing firearms and other items.
Some of those items, Seaside police reported this afternoon, were marijuana plants from an indoor grow at the home.
"The suspects apparently knew of the indoor marijuana grow located at the residence," a press release from Seaside Police Cmdr. Judy Stradan states.
The masked men escaped before the occupants were able to free themselves, and before Seaside police arrived about an hour later, responding to a 3:52pm call.
Investigators do not yet have any suspects.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Seaside Police at either of the following numbers:
Anonymous tip-line: 899-6282
Seaside PD: 899-6748
Non-emergency dispatch: 394-6811
Or leave a tip on SSPD's online tip website: http://www.tipsoft.com/index.aspx
This post will updated if more information becomes available.
UPDATE 10:34am: Cmdr. Judy Stradan of the SSPD reports there were two occupants in the home at the time of the break-in, one male, one female, both in their early 20s.
She also says investigators are making progress in the case.
"We have good investigative leads, just nothing we can release without damaging the case," she says.