by Tim Troglen
Reporter
Maple Heights -- Police are looking for two men who broke into a Joseph Street man's house April 23, tied him up and discussed ways to torture him so they could get his money, before he escaped by jumping through a closed window.
According to Maple Heights Police Detective Gerald Prusha, the 26-year-old, who lives alone at the home, told police he came home from work around 4:30 p.m. and walked into his locked house to find a man in a downstairs hallway who was wearing a cloth over his mouth.
He said the man pointed a black semi-automatic handgun, possibly a .45 caliber, at him.
"A second person came up from behind him, placed him face down on the floor and knelt on his back," Prusha said.
Prusha said the second man handcuffed the homeowner's hands behind his back and tied up his legs and ankles.
The homeowner told police one of the suspects took his car keys and an undisclosed amount of money from his wallet. He was forced to stay on the ground while one of the suspects went to the homeowner's car, which was parked in the driveway, and searched it.
Prusha said the suspect returned after finding no money and demanded the homeowner tell them where he kept his money.
The men removed the handcuffs and used rope or twine to tie the homeowner's hands.
"Then they started taking about deploying techniques to try and torture the man into telling them where more money was," Prusha said.
The homeowner was left tied on the floor as the two suspects walked into another room, he told police.
As they were talking, the man was able to wiggle his wrists and ankles free, Prusha said.
"He loosened the rope enough to dive through a closed first floor bedroom window," Prusha said.
The man then ran to a neighbor's home, who called police and an ambulance.
Prusha said the two suspects ran from the home, taking the homeowner's credit and debit cards.
Prusha said after that, the two suspects drove away in the homeowner's 2001 Chevy Impala.
The man was treated for various cuts from UHHS Bedford Medical Center and released that day, a hospital spokesperson said.
The homeowner told police both men were black, 25 to 30 years old, 190 to 200 pounds. One man was 6-feet tall, wearing a dark shirt with a black bandana over his mouth.
The second man was described as 5-feet, 9-inches tall, wearing a dark shirt and light-colored blue jeans and a black bandana over his mouth.
Police are asking that anyone with information call 216-662-1234.
E-mail: TTroglen@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3165