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KEARNS — A man trying to strike up a business deal found himself robbed at gunpoint in his own home early Saturday.
According to police, a 27-year-old man had been communicating with Ashley Rivera, 20, over Facebook for several months about a business deal concerning an auto club. Police initially believed the woman had arranged to purchase a computer from the victim. They arranged to meet at the man's house, 4941 S. 4135 West, and when the woman arrived at 1 a.m. Saturday, four males followed her inside, Unified police Lt. Justin Hoyal said.
Three of the males held the victim at gunpoint while they used zip ties to restrain him and take him to the basement, where they also restrained the man's sister and her boyfriend.
While in the basement, they attempted to coax a 4-year-old child to leave the home with them, Hoyal said. The child refused to do so.
As people upstairs in the home began awakening, the woman and four males fled the residence in a black Nissan Altima, which Kylee Tenifa, 20, was driving. In the process, they took an assortment of electronics including computers and cellphones as well as cash.
"What they did here was a very violent crime, and we're very fortunate that nobody got hurt," Hoyal said.
West Valley Police Department was alerted to the alleged robbery and a West Valley police officer saw the Altima pull into a residence at 4444 S. 4800 West. Officers from West Valley and Unified police departments surrounded the home and began communicating with the alleged robbers.
The six were taken into custody without incident. Rivera, Tenifa, Wayne Lolani, 19, Ryon Lokeni, 26, Morgan Holst, 18, and a 17-year-old male were in police custody Saturday for suspicion of aggravated robbery and attempted kidnapping and aggravated burglary.
