Armed suspects target Atlanta family at Turks and Caicos rental
Atlanta family robbed during Turks and Caicos vacation
A birthday celebration in paradise turned into a nightmare when seven armed men invaded a luxury beachfront rental in Turks and Caicos, according to surviving family members.
Seven masked men armed with guns, machetes, and sticks targeted an Atlanta family and their friends during a home invasion at a Turks and Caicos Airbnb over Labor Day weekend.
What we know:
Andrea Williams and her group booked a waterfront rental property called Aqua Blu Beach Villas to celebrate a birthday.
As they sat on the back porch the night before Labor Day, seven men walked up holding guns, machetes, and sticks, ordering the group not to move.
The suspects struck one woman in the head with a gun, destroyed her phone after she did not know her iCloud password, and stole cash, passports, jewelry, purses, and phones.
The victims said the men threatened to kill them during the robbery.
Latorria Zachary, who was in a locked room inside the rental during the intrusion, messaged the Airbnb host to call local police.
By the time officers arrived at the property, the group of armed men had fled.
A detective later informed the family that video footage showed the men sitting and watching them for 30 minutes prior to the attack.
Police in Turks and Caicos assisted the victims with temporary documentation so they could board their return flight home to Georgia.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not announced any arrests in connection with the home invasion.
It remains unclear how the suspects breached security features listed for the property.
The victims said the suspects spent thousands of dollars on their stolen credit cards after leaving the property.
A request for comment sent to Airbnb has not yet received a response.
Why you should care:
The survivors said they were unaware until after the attack that the U.S. Department of State maintains a travel advisory for the Turks and Caicos Islands regarding crime.
They are now urging other vacationers to remain vigilant, watch their surroundings, and avoid trusting strangers when traveling.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview conducted by FOX5 reporter Annie Mapp with home invasion survivors Andrea Williams and Latorria Zachary, as well as police reports from Turks and Caicos law enforcement agencies.