Cape Coral home invasion suspect arrested

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- A man is behind bars accused of breaking into a Cape Coral home and terrorizing the homeowners with guns.

Authorities say Christopher Gonzalez and another man were equipped with guns when they broke into a home on Northeast 23rd Street Sunday night.

“It’s scary that it can happen right down the street,” Carin Ballard said.

Neighbors say they couldn’t believe why officers sat on their street for hours on Sunday.

“There were four and then there were five just regular officers and the big investigation van,” one neighbor said.

“One of them I noticed said ‘forensics’ on it. I was a little uncomfortable not sure what was going on,” Holly Hagans said.

According to the arrest report, the victims told police that masked gunmen broke into their home around 4 a.m., ordering them out of bed and then using zip-ties to tie them up while demanding money. The suspects spent two hours in the home, stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise and cash.

The victims to police the suspects knew where the victim’s relatives live and what schools their kids go to, threatening that if they tell police, their house would be set on fire and their family harmed.

“That makes me very sick to my stomach to be honest with you,” Hagans said.

The suspects didn’t stop there, they told the victims to come up with $50,000 in cash by Tuesday and leave it in a Duffel bag at the Walgreens on Del Prado. The victims then went to the Cape Coral Police Department (CCPD). CCPD were able to set up a sting and watched as Gonzalez tried to take the money before being arrested.

Gonzalez is being held on $175,000 bond on burglary, extortion and home invasion charges. The second suspect is still on the loose.