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Police look for 4 men after couple in 80s robbed

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police are looking for the armed robbers who broke into a north Charlotte home and pushed around the couple, who are in their 80s, who live there.

John Houston and his wife, Delores, live on Vanderbilt Road. He served in World War II. They've been married and living in the same house ever since. They were there Sunday night, waiting for their daughter to stop by.

"She had called and told me she was on the way," John Houston said.

When someone knocked at the door, they thought it was her. Instead, four armed young men -- maybe teenagers -- forced their way inside.

"I was pretty upset," John Houston said.

John Houston said some of them made him lie down between the sofa and coffee table one kept a foot on his head while the others went for Delores Houston, who was in the bedroom.

"They came in so fast," Delores Houston said.

She said they rummaged through her drawers and elbowed her.

"They took whatever they wanted to take," she said.

They said the robbers broke a chair, damaged a light, broke into a gun case, stole pistols and rifles and were gone.
"I've been so upset. I've never been like this," Delores Houston said.

They're worried something worse could happen to the next victims and that their weapons are now in the wrong hands. They say they've experienced a lot in their 60-plus years together, but never this.

"No. And I hope to never do it again," John Houston said.