Ann Budzinski, 99, and her son James, 62, were attacked by three men who forced their way into the Budzinski’s home in Romeoville, demanding cash and jewelry. The attackers duct-taped both victims while they ransacked the house. (Credit: CBS)
Reporting Dana Kozlov
Don't Miss This
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (CBS) – A 99-year-old woman was duct-taped in a chair and attacked in her own home in southwest suburban Romeoville on Wednesday.
Ann Budzinski, who turned 99 on Saturday, talked to CBS 2’s Dana Kozlov on Thursday about what the three attackers did to her and her disabled son over the weekend.
She said one of the attackers grabbed her forearm and pushed her down.
“Then I noticed I was bleeding,” she said. “I figured I better not scream or nothing, because you don’t know what they’re gonna do.”
Budzinski said she kept her wits about her as the three attackers tied her son to a chair and duct-taped both of their mouths.
“They pushed me back on this chair here, and that’s where they put the duct tape on me,” James Budzinski said in an interview in their living room.
He said one of the attackers had come to their door around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, claiming he needed to check the water pressure at their house. When he tried to shut the door on that man, two others helped the stranger barge into the house.
“I had a stick there with me that I use when I go out, and I was going to hit the guy with it,” Ann said. “That’s how he grabbed me, and he pulled me. Then I almost fell down, then he pushed me on the chair.”
James said the robbers threatened to kill them if they didn’t tell the trio where they kept their safe or jewelry.
“I said ‘We don’t have any, we’re on Social Security,’” he said.
“It scared me, but it didn’t hurt, and I guess I felt kind of numb,” his mother said.
The Budzinskis said the intruders were at the house for about 25 minutes, ransacking the home for valuables, stealing some plastic costume jewelry and cash from a recent garage sale.
Ann’s arm was cut in the attack, but – even at 99 years old – she said “I feel fine.”
One of the attackers was wearing a black baseball cap with flashing lights on the front, a white hooded sweatshirt, and blue jeans. Another was wearing a black baseball cap with a wing symbol on front, a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, dark sunglasses, and brown cloth gloves.
Romeoville police said a witness saw the intruders, who were described as Hispanic, drive off in an older model black Ford F-150 pickup truck. Investigators also have security video of that, as well as some other evidence.
The Budzinskis said they are just relieved the men didn’t kill them.
Friday morning, an Evanston couple was restrained with duct tape as thieves took valuable art from their home.
