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Police: Men force mother to bind children's hands, feet during North Side home invasion

PITTSBURGH — Police said two men who robbed a home in North Side on Tuesday forced a mother to bind the hands and feet of her three children with duct tape, and then bind her own.

According to police, officers were called to the Lautner Street home around 7 p.m.

Investigators said the owner of the home and his wife were robbed by a man they knew and a stranger.

The victim said he owns a home recording studio and made arrangements with the man he knew to bring a rapper to his home to possibly work on music.

According to the criminal complaint, the male victim was in the shower when the men arrived and when he went to let them into his studio they pulled guns out and demanded money.

Police said the men then forced the victim’s wife to bind the hands and feet of her children ages 2, 4 and 10 with duct tape.

“Oh my God, that would be horrible. I can't even imagine having to do that to my own kids,” said neighbor Anita Policicchio.

Officers said the men then forced the woman to bind her own feet while her husband bound her hands.

Investigators said the man they knew then took the male victim at gunpoint and threatened to kill him while demanding cash and jewelry.

The men stole money, jewelry, camera equipment, two iPads, two iPhones and a DVD player.

After stealing the items, the men bound the male victim with duct tape and forced all five victims to lie on the floor while they fled the scene, police said.

No injuries were reported.

Investigators said they later traced a stolen iPhone through GPS and arrested Justin Sinicki, 23, and charged him with robbery and several other charges.

Police are still looking for the other man.