Pair rob woman, 78, at gunpoint

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — An elderly woman was robbed at gunpoint by a pair of men who knocked on the back door of her South Strong Drive residence Wednesday.

Sgt. Erin Toadlena-Pablo, a spokeswoman for the Gallup Police Department, said the woman, 78, heard a knock at her back door at about 9 a.m. and found a man in his early 20s who inquired about an apartment to rent near her house on the 800 block of South Strong Drive. The woman said she had no such space. The man then asked to use the phone and the woman allowed him to use her phone.

Within minutes, a second man, dressed in black clothing, walked up to the back door, threatened the woman with a handgun and demanded she hand over her purse. They then led the woman into one of the house’s bathrooms and demanded she stay there for five minutes to allow them time to get away.

After the allotted amount of time, the woman notified police, who found no sign of the suspects. The woman was not injured during the robbery.

One of the suspects is described as a Hispanic male in his early 20s with short hair and a thin build. The second suspect is possibly Hispanic and in his early 20s. He is about 6 feet tall with a heavy build.

Toadlena-Pablo advised residents to think twice before they open their door to a stranger.

“If you don’t know the individual, don’t open the door,” she said.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (505) 722-6161 or Detective Victor Rodriguez at (505) 863-9365. CrimeStoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in the case.