When a resident in unincorporated Gilroy was jarred awake at
about 5 a.m. Monday morning by loud knocking at her back door, she
never expected to see her neighbor’s head covered in blood and his
clothes hanging loosely from his body.
When a resident in unincorporated Gilroy was jarred awake at about 5 a.m. Monday morning by loud knocking at her back door, she never expected to see her neighbor’s head covered in blood and his clothes hanging loosely from his body.
The victim, Gary Wise of Rucker Lane, was beaten and robbed Sunday night by three suspects who may have made off with more than a million dollars worth of guns.
At about 9 p.m. Sunday, the three male suspects, wearing ski masks, dark clothes and gloves, entered Wise’s home, beat him and tied him up before obtaining the combination to Wise’s gun safe, according to Sgt. Rick Sung with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
Wise was home alone, Sung said.
The neighbor, who only gave only her first name, Rose, said she could barely recognize Wise when he came to her house seeking help.
“He said, ‘I’ve been beat up,’ ” she recalled.
Sung said the suspects are described as three Hispanic males between the ages of 25 to 30. He said no arrests have been made.
It was not yet clear how many of Wise’s guns were stolen, Sung said.
“We cannot officially confirm the number taken from the resident,” he said. “Multiple guns were taken.”
Rose said Wise had a vast collection of “shiny and beautiful” guns he purchased “from all over.” Wise always bragged about his gun collection – which may have totaled $2 million – and even showed it off to friends and neighbors, Rose said.
Wise often had many visitors – including landscapers and handymen among others – coming by his house, Rose said. She said Wise was probably targeted because “word got around” about his expensive collection.
“He had a lot of people coming in and out,” she said.
Wise said he eventually was able to break free from the ties by morning, according to Rose. She gave him a glass of water and called 911. Rose said law enforcement officers and firefighters soon arrived, though it took about 30 minutes for an ambulance to come.
Wise told Rose he did not know who the men were, she said adding Wise has lived at that home for about five years.
“He’s a kind-hearted man,” she said. “His downfall is telling people about all the goodies he has.”
Sung said Wise suffered nonlife-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital, where he was being treated as of late Monday morning.
The suspects also stole the victim’s truck, which was recovered Monday morning by the California Highway Patrol in the areas of Highway 9 and Highway 35, Sung said.
Officers and investigators from the Sheriff’s office were at home for several hours Monday. Yellow crime scene tape sectioned off the property as investigators and detectives searched for any clues the suspects may have left behind.
