By Laurel J. Sweet
The Boston Herald
A Chelsea family barely out of bed was rescued from three armed robbers early yesterday morning, but the suspects kept cops at bay for four hours before the standoff finally ended peacefully.
“It ended up being, thankfully, very safe. It was just a long ordeal,” said Chelsea police Capt. Keith Houghton, who directed plaudits to the Boston police SWAT team that had his department’s back.
Houghton said a couple, at least three children between the ages of 4 and 12 and an elderly woman were safely whisked from a Spruce Street home by Chelsea officers after Louis Santiago, 24, of Chelsea, Edward Funes, 35, of Revere and Jose Parada, 19, of Saugus broke in following a separate, attempted armed carjacking just after 7:50 a.m.
The men reluctantly surrendered ‘piecemeal,’ Houghton said, and the standoff ended four hours after it began.
“We thank the Boston police for providing us with their SWAT team,” he said. “Cities like us don’t have those kind of resources. They cleared the house safely and professionally.”
Santiago, Funes and Parada are expected to be arraigned today in Chelsea District Court on multiple charges, including armed robbery and attempted carjacking.
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