Robbers looking for pot force way into Santa Rosa home

Two men armed with handguns forced their way into a west Santa Rosa home, tied up a family and demanded money and drugs but left with cellphones, Santa Rosa police said Monday.

The home invasion robbery occurred at about 7 p.m. Friday at a residence on Coffey Lane off of West Steele Lane.

The robbers burst into the home through an unlocked or ajar front door. They used zip ties to bind the hands of five family members – all but a 5-year-old, Sgt. Tommy Isachsen said.

A search of the home came up empty and instead they took cellphones and a tablet off of the residents.

Officers found signs of marijuana having been grown at the home at one time but not recently, and a resident had a medical marijuana card, Isachsen said.

Two members of the family had been packing a car for a trip to Mexico, and officers suspected the robbers may have been watching and thought the suitcases held marijuana, according to the sergeant.

Such home invasion robberies aren’t uncommon this time of year, when marijuana plants reach full size and are harvested for sale.