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'I still don't believe it': Del Mar man reacts to home invasion that left 80-year-old in the hospital

SANTA FE AVENUE.jpg
Posted at 3:47 PM, Mar 20, 2023
and last updated 2023-03-20 20:54:05-04

DEL MAR, Calif. (KGTV) — An elderly man was assaulted during a home invasion in a Del Mar on Friday.

Sheriff's deputies are looking for two suspects in connection with the violent incident.

"We are safe here. This is the best place on the planet," said Gustavo Ramos, Del Mar local.

Thousands of tourists and locals enjoy the mostly safe environment daily.

Since January 1, crimemapping.com, the website the county uses, reports only 18 incidents ranging from assaults to vandalism in Del Mar Heights.

"You send your kids by themselves to play at the beach, and they pretty much they go home just fine," explained Ramos.

Ramos has lived and worked in the area since the 1980s and says this is his community.

This weekend, 911 operators got an incomplete call for help.

Deputies arrived at the home to learn an 80-year-old man was tied up and assaulted during a home invasion.

Deputies reported Friday the man was sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was in stable condition.

"I still don't believe it, but we'll fight back. We'll fight back. We'll find the people that did it, and they won't come back," said Ramos.

The incident happened on Santa Fe Avenue, a few blocks away from the beach that Gustavo works to keep clean.

"I will keep my eyes open every single second, and I will be watching the neighborhood more and more than ever," he said.

Gustavo leaves this message to the suspects that are still not behind bars.

"They're not going to get away with this. Evil will never prevail. We'll find out who they are, and we're going to get them. There's no way anybody is going to come to Del Mar and do something bad. This is my city, and I won't allow that to happen," he said.

Police are still looking for the attackers and said they have surveillance of them at the scene.

ABC 10News reached out to the North Coastal Sheriff's Station for an update on the case but has not yet heard back.

If you have any information about the home invasion, you can contact deputies at 760-966-3500.