NORTH OF WESLACO, Texas -- Despite her short stature, a 73-year-old woman reportedly stood up to two armed robbers who entered her home Tuesday morning.
The robbery took place Tuesday shortly after 5 a.m. at a home in the 17000 block of 10 Mile North, according to a news release from the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office.
One suspect was arrested. Law enforcement officials are still searching for the second man they believe was involved. He is described as Hispanic, 6 feet tall and weighing 170 to 175 pounds. He was wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans, according to the news release.
The woman spoke to The Monitor but asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal. Despite the dangerous situation that she had been in, she made light of the situation, saying that rather than fear, she felt determined to not let them get away with it.
"I was in bed and I heard a noise by the window," the woman said. "At first I thought it was the cat, but then I saw it was two men."
Hoping to scare off the intruders, who were already in her living room, the woman grabbed a .38-caliber revolver her father had given her and aimed it at the men.
The men then reached for the gun, and a struggle ensued. The intruders overpowered her and took the gun away, she said.
"It wasn't loaded -- if not (for that) I would have fired a few shots," she said, chuckling. "They had butcher knives and asked me where I kept the money."
The woman had some rental properties and was surprised to know that the men knew about that. The men then told the woman to go with them to the bedroom so they could search for the rent money.
"I told them that if they wanted me to go, they better pick me up because I needed help getting up," the woman said. "Sure enough they helped me up."
The men began going through the woman's drawers and closet, looking for money and jewelry.
"I told them to not make a mess because I wasn't going to clean that," the woman said, chuckling. "They got mad and said that I should pay someone to clean it."
Back in the living room, one of the men tried to unplug her television, she said, but she insisted they not take it because her son had bought it for her.
The man told her "too bad" and continued removing the TV set. Meanwhile the other man continued to ransack her bedroom
"I started to walk away and he told me to stop, asking where I was going," she said. "I told him that I needed to go to the restroom, but I lied."
The ruse worked because she was able to step away from the man and made a dash for the back door, where she screamed for her neighbors to call the police and to help her.
With the butcher knife in hand, the man went after her and tried to pull her into the house.
"I thought that if they stabbed me I would take it away from them and stab them back," the determined woman said. "I reached for the knife and grabbed it by the blade. I took it from him and threw it away.
"I got some cuts in my hand, but the guy ran inside to warn the other one because the neighbors were coming," she said.
One of the suspects got into an unknown vehicle and sped off, leaving his partner running behind.
"I am sad because they took the gun," she said. "It had sentimental value."
The suspect that was left behind was identified as 30-year-old Alejandro Del Siderio Arias. He was arrested by Hidalgo County sheriff's deputies as he tried to leave the house on foot.
He is facing one count of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony. If convicted he could face up to 99 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
Copyright 2012 - The Monitor, McAllen, Texas
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
