FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A family and their neighbors are on edge after an early morning home-invasion robbery near Sanger.
Fresno County sheriff's deputies say a group of armed men broke into a home on the 300 block of South Highland Avenue on Saturday. No one was hurt, but the victims and neighbors just want the suspects caught.
A family of farmworkers was fast asleep when their front door was smashed. A 20-year-old victim describes being thrown to the ground at gunpoint as four to five armed Hispanic men ransacked his home.
The victims were reluctant to go on camera for fear of retaliation but tell Action News the suspects stole at least $5,000 in TVs, jewelry and cash.
Down the street, neighbor Jose Morales says he protects his family with guard dogs and weapons.
"I'd have to be threatened really bad in order to use it, but when it comes to protecting my family I'm willing to take any steps," said Morales.
This is the second home invasion in a one-block radius in six months. In April, an elderly couple was attacked in their home on Thompson Avenue and Kings Canyon Road.
"One of these days they're just going to meet up with a shotgun or something and maybe not have that second chance to think about it," said Morales.
Morales says he and other people on this road have adopted a neighborhood watch program and suggests a similar approach to anyone with safety concerns.
"The neighbors, we keep in touch," he said. "If we see cars that don't belong in the area or we're not used to seeing, we let each other know. So, we're kind of keeping an eye on each other."
The victims say they have already hired a security guard to watch over their home in the evening hours.
Anyone with information about the suspects in this case is urged to contact the Fresno County Sheriff's Office at (559) 600-3111.