Three wanted in aborted Piedmont home invasion

PIEDMONT, Calif. (KTVU) - Three intruders are at large after caught on surveillance camera forcing their way into a Piedmont home, where they knocked down a 9-year-old boy who opened the door, police said.

The incident happened at a home on Scenic Avenue at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, said Piedmont police Capt. Chris Monahan.

"We had three suspects knock on the door of the house and engaged the 9-year-old son who was home at the house," Monahan said. "They pushed past the son, knocking him to the ground."

The boy ran to a bathroom to escape.

"Obviously very traumatic for a 9-year-old boy," Monahan said.

The boy's father heard the commotion and was also confronted by the intruders, at least one of whom had a gun, police said.

"One suspect held the father at gunpoint, while the other two spent about 30 seconds just searching through various parts of the house, and then all three suspects fled," Monahan said.

The three left without taking anything. At about noon Saturday, the same group is suspected of robbing a man of his laptop on Grand Avenue within Oakland city limits, authorities said.

Video surveillance from the home caught images of the three running away. A city of Piedmont surveillance camera and license-plate readers caught images of a blue Toyota Highlander used by the intruders, police said.

"We're very fortunate in the city of Piedmont to have a strong technology footprint," Monahan said. 

Oakland police have since found the SUV at 64th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard in East Oakland. A female found inside the vehicle was identified and released. 

The three intruders remained at large Monday.