West
Phony delivery drivers attack children during home invasion in what could be alarming new trend: expert
A trio of depraved armed robbers posing as deliverymen barged into a Colorado family’s home and attacked two children in what could be an alarming new trend, an expert and police say.
The kids’ anguished parents – who were not home at the time of the June 12 home invasion – witnessed the fake delivery men enter their house on a Ring doorbell.
The men allegedly attacked the babysitter and assaulted two children – a 14-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy, according to a release from the Aurora Police Department.
“It’s an old crime with a new twist,” said retired NYPD Sgt. Joseph Giacalone, who is a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “These guys are always looking for a new way to get into your house, and I’m sure police are very worried about whether this is a growing pattern.”
BEWARE OF THESE DOORBELL CAMERAS THAT COULD BE COMPROMISED BY CYBERCRIMINALS
Stills images from a Colorado home invasion show a burglar dressed as a deliveryman and a six-year-old boy sobbing in the aftermath of the ordeal. (KDVR )
A tactic criminals once used was trying to gain access to a home by posing as utility workers, Giacalone said. However, this approach is no longer effective with workers wearing distinct uniforms and carrying identification cards, he added.
The terrifying Colorado home invasion that took place about 10 miles from downtown Denver is the latest in a string of robberies involving fake delivery workers.
The ordeal unfolded a little after 8:30 p.m., when one of the suspects approached the door wearing a bright orange vest and carrying a box, according to footage obtained by KDVR.
“They were dressed in construction vests and claimed they were there to drop a package off. The suspects were holding a package and waited for the residents of the home to open the door,” the Aurora Police Department said. “When they did, the suspects forced their way in and robbed the family.”
WATCH VIDEO OF ARMED ROBBERS BURST INTO COLORADO HOME:
One of the people inside the home opened the door slightly, and the man wearing the vest immediately pushed his way in.
He then began yelling at two accomplices in Spanish that he had gained access.
Ring camera footage showed one of the men holding what appeared to be a gun in his hand as he barged into the home and another suspect exiting a car that was idling outside to join them.
The teen girl was touched inappropriately during the roughly one-minute ransacking, which netted the thieves jewelry and cash, her mother told KDVR.
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Colorado parents of two children who were assaulted after a terrifying home invasion on June 12. The boy is shown sobbing and crying for his mother. (KDVR)
The babysitter and young boy were also shoved to the ground during the break-in.
The homeowners called police after being alerted to the intruders by their Ring camera.
The kids’ mother said her son – who can be seen crying after police arrive – is badly traumatized by the incident.
Their mother said she was deeply frightened by the attack and that she fears long-term damage to her kids.
CALIFORNIA BURGLARIES COMMITTED BY SOUTH AMERICAN THEFT RING INVOLVE HIDDEN CAMERAS IN SHRUBBERY: AUTHORITIES
The Colorado home was targeted by armed burglars posing as deliverymen. (KDVR)
Police departments across the country have warned homeowners to be careful about opening their doors to strangers after a spate of home invasions.
A burglar posing as a DoorDash driver was killed last year in Indiana when the homeowner pulled out a gun and shot the intruder, FOX59 reported.
In November, a pair of armed robbers posed as deliverymen and forced their way into a New York City home to steal $70,000 in valuables. The victims were bound in duct tape, according to the NYPD.
A fake deliveryman donning an orange fluorescent vest and clutching a manila envelope tried to storm into a Connecticut home with a gun last year, but the owner shoved him and slammed the door.
FAMILY FINDS HIDDEN CAMERA IN CARNIVAL CRUISE STATEROOM
Ring camera shows an armed man posing as a delivery worker in Connecticut after the homeowner thwarted the attempted burglary by shoving him from his porch and slamming the door. (East Haven Police Department / LOCAL NEWS X /TMX)
Giacalone said that the most important precaution to “prevent something terrible from happening to your family” is to verify the identity of the delivery person.
“If someone knocks on the door saying you need to sign for a package request to see their ID, whether through a window, a peephole or a door camera,” he suggested.
Homeowners, he added, should also peer out their windows to ensure there is a UPS or Amazon truck parked nearby.
Fox News Digital’s Emmett Jones contributed to this report.
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San Francisco, CA
California dominates top 10 priciest U.S. cities for homeowners — here’s what you need to earn
- California dominates US housing costs, with 9 of 10 priciest metros; San Jose leads at $11,690/month.
- San Francisco and Los Angeles also rank high, requiring annual incomes of $358,090 and $301,221 respectively.
- Despite a slight decline in income requirements since 2025, affordability remains a distant dream for many.
From Silicon Valley to San Diego, the Golden State boasts nine of the 10 most expensive metropolitan areas in the US for homeowners, a new report revealed.
San Jose landed in the top spot, followed by San Francisco at No. 2 and Los Angeles at No. 5.
An analysis from ConsumerAffairs examined monthly home payments across 200 of the nation’s largest metro areas to determine the income needed to afford a home in each location.
In San Jose, that monthly cost came out to a staggering $11,690 — making it by far the the most expensive US metro for homeowners for the second year in a row.
Buyers now need to earn an eye-popping $501,012 in annual income to afford a typical property.
That figure dwarfs the city’s actual median household income of $164,801, exceeding it by a massive 204%, according to the report. It also far surpasses the national median household income of $81,604.
With a median home price of more than $1.55 million, ownership in the Silicon Valley city remains out of reach for most residents.
Nearby San Francisco ranked the second most expensive, with monthly housing costs at $8,355 and buyers needing to earn $358,090 annually to afford a home there, the analysis found.
In Los Angeles, monthly costs averaged $7,029, with buyers needing to earn $301,221.
The 10 most expensive metro areas in the US and their average monthly costs:
- 1. San Jose: $11,690
- 2. San Francisco: $8,355
- 3. Santa Cruz: $354,973
- 4. Santa Maria: $305,535
- 5. Los Angeles: $301,221
- 6. San Diego: $293,618
- 7. San Luis Obispo: $280,591
- 8. Oxnard: $276,805
- 9. Salinas: $262,403
- 10. Honolulu, Hawaii: $255,280
The only metro outside California to crack the top 10 was Honolulu.
The divide across the country is stark.
The gap between the income needed to buy a home in San Jose compared to Huntington, West Virginia, the most affordable metro in the analysis, stood at a staggering $447,362.
Despite the sky-high costs, there is a slight silver lining: Income requirements in each of the top 10 cities in the ranking declined more than the average national drop of 3.2% since 2025.
Still, affordability remains a distant dream for many Americans.
The last time a typical US household could comfortably follow the 28% rule — spending no more than 28% of income on housing — was in 2015, when incomes exceeded required levels by just 0.4%.
Today, buyers need 48% more income than the median household earns nationwide.
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Denver, CO
Denver area faces hazardous Wednesday morning commute as heavy, wet snow begins to fall
DENVER — A strong, late-season snowstorm has moved into northern Colorado and the Front Range Tuesday evening and will continue into Wednesday, making for a hazardous morning commute.
MORE | Denver7 weather blog
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning from midnight Tuesday through 3 p.m. Wednesday.
How much are we getting?
The NWS forecasts 5-8 inches of snow for the Interstate 25 corridor, while areas closer to the foothills could receive up to 9 inches.
For the Eastern Plains, forecasters expect 2-6 inches of snow, a lower total than in the Front Range.
The Northern Mountains and foothills could receive as much as 2 feet of snow, with Estes Park and surrounding areas seeing early accumulation Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Southern Mountains are forecasted to get 6-14 inches.
NWS
When will it get here?
In Denver, rain began to transition to snow around 5 p.m. And snow accumulation is expected to continue into Wednesday afternoon, according to the NWS.
Forecasters expect that from Tuesday at midnight to 9 a.m. Wednesday will see the brunt of this storm in the Denver metro area.
NWS
What are the biggest concerns?
That midnight-to-9 a.m. stretch of snowfall should have the biggest impact, according to the NWS.
Wet, heavy snowfall poses the greatest risk for broken branches and tree damage, especially in areas with the largest accumulations, which can cause scattered power outages.
Hazardous conditions, especially for the morning commute in the Denver metro area, are expected due to heavy snowfall. The Colorado Department of Transportation is prepared for these impacts.
CDOT said there will be about 100 plows throughout the storm, focusing on clearing interstates and major roadways first before secondary roads.
Tuesday evening forecast
When will it skidaddle out of here?
Snow accumulation should end north to south by midday Wednesday, with drier weather moving in Wednesday night into Thursday.
Denver will see a high of 39 degrees with a low dropping below freezing on Wednesday. A freeze warning is likely on Wednesday night.
Thursday, we may see a shower or two, but mild springlike conditions will return.
NWS
Weather Links
MORE: Hourly forecast | Latest forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream
Stream live, current temperatures plus radars across Colorado anytime for free on the free Denver7+ app on your TV or watch from your computer or mobile phone anytime.
Seattle, WA
Passan’s take on Seattle Mariners’ potential SP decision
The Seattle Mariners have been staring down a difficult decision for weeks now and it’s only getting closer as Bryce Miller nears the end of his rehab assignment.
Two factors Hyphen sees in Bryan Woo’s recent struggles
When Miller makes his return to the big league club, which is now less than two weeks away barring a setback, the Mariners will have six capable starters but only five rotation spots.
The assumption when Miller started the season on the injured list was that he would replace Emerson Hancock when he returned, but Hancock has been Seattle’s best starter thus far, posting a 2.59 ERA over seven starts while striking out batters at a career-best 28.9% clip.
Now it looks as if veteran Luis Castillo could be the top candidate to taken out of the rotation. In seven starts this season, the right-hander has produced a 6.29 ERA and minus-0.8 bWAR.
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan weighed in on the possibility of Castillo being taken out of the starting rotation when he joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Tuesday.
“I think it all depends on where Luis Castillo’s frame of mind is,” Passan said. “If Luis Castillo is open to going to the bullpen, you consider that. And if he is not, then you take a look and see what his willingness to go on the injured list is. And if that’s not the case, then maybe you do consider a six-man rotation. I think there are just lots of different possibilities here.”
For Passan, what Castillo has done for the organization, which includes helping the team reach the playoffs twice, is also an important part of the equation.
“I think what also factors in is Luis Castillo has done this for a really long time at a really high level and been a really important part of the success that you’ve had organizationally, and I don’t take that lightly,” Passan said. “I think the way that you treat people who have done right by you and helped you get into the position (you’re in), they’re not disposable. So you can’t just say to Luis Castillo, you’re not performing right now, you’re going to the pen.
“Well, you could. I just don’t know how well that goes over and I don’t know what sort of precedent that sets for treatment of players going forward.”
Passan added that moving Castillo to the bullpen is the type of “cold” decision a contender has to make sometimes, but that having a productive Castillo is also key for the team.
“Having a productive Luis Castillo makes them much likelier to be a World Series team,” Passan said. “You can get rid of your manager and survive that. But knowing that Castillo has to be around still, you just need to be mindful of the way – not even the way that you’re treating him, because the way that you’re treating him is through your perspective. The question is, how does he feel like he’s being treated? That is imperative here, and if you can thread the needle and figure out a way to solve your problem while still keeping Luis Castillo content, then that’s the ideal (situation). That’s the goal, that is the aim of this whole thing. And it’s a very delicate and difficult subject.”
Castillo in line for positive regression?
While it has been a struggle for Castillo early on, Passan sees some reason to believe his numbers will level out with more starts. He pointed to Castillo’s 4.25 FIP, which is nearly identical to Bryan Woo’s and better than Logan Gilbert’s. However, he is concerned with Castillo’s career-low groundball rate.
“Ever since he’s come to Seattle, he’s been much more of a flyball pitcher. But he’s down to a 33% ground ball rate this year. Not good,” Passan said. “I will say this, the positive regression is going to come in the form of runners being stranded. He’s got a strand rate right now of only 58.8%, league average is somewhere in the 70-plus range.”
Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
Seattle Mariners coverage
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