Home invasion in New Tampa

TAMPA -- Hillsborough deputies are investigating a home invasion robbery at 18303 Big Pond Way in the Pebble Creek subdivision of New Tampa.

About 2:15 p.m., a 17-year-old male juvenile was home alone when he heard a knock at the door. He answered the door to find a man asking for someone who didn't live there. The teen was closing the door when he saw a second man armed with a shotgun approaching the front door, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The teen was able to close the door and run to a back bedroom where he called his father. The two strangers kicked in the front door and were removing a television set when the teen's father arrived home. The two robbers fled on foot south on nearby Regents Park Drive. They dropped the TV set about a block from the home, deputies said. They had not been found as of late this afternoon.

The two suspects were described as 17- to 18-years-old, possibly Hispanic, one with a dark complexion, the other with a medium complexion, both 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10, and 150-170 pounds. The one who was armed with a shotgun had a long ponytail, deputies said.

Times staff writer