Vegetable vendor Juana Mechán Azabache was robbed of 15,000 soles and 25 poultry birds by armed intruders opposite a police post in Chiclayo, Peru.
The early-morning robbery occurred in the Chosica del Norte sector of the La Victoria district on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, but officers at the nearby station reportedly refused to attend the scene.
Three masked men entered the property at around 4:30 a.m., holding Mechán's husband at gunpoint before escaping with cash, mobile phones, bank cards and livestock valued at a total of 17,000 Peruvian soles.
Chiclayo is a major commercial hub in northwestern Peru, where market vendors frequently store operational earnings at home. The district of La Victoria is situated along the Pan-American Highway North, a principal transport artery running through the coastal region.
Armed intruders scale window to enter home
According to testimony provided by 62-year-old Juana Mechán Azabache, she and her husband, Ricardo Zafra Rodas, also 62, were resting in their home when the break-in began.
The three assailants, who had their faces covered, climbed through an exterior window to reach the roof of the house. From the roof, they used a ladder to descend into the first floor of the building.
Once inside, the intruders moved directly toward Zafra, who was sleeping on a mattress positioned on the floor.
One of the armed men held Zafra at gunpoint, demanded that he reveal where their money was kept, and took his mobile phone.
Vendor confronted in main bedroom
When Zafra did not disclose the location of the cash, the men moved into the main bedroom where Mechán was sleeping.
Mechán said that because of the darkness, she initially assumed her husband was frantically searching through the drawers of her wardrobe. She realized seconds later that an intruder was standing in the room.
The criminal pounced on Mechán to prevent her from moving or shouting for help while his accomplices searched the bedroom.
The men eventually discovered a box and an apron where Mechán stored her savings, accumulated over years of selling vegetables and tubers at Los Pathos market.
Stolen livestock discovered hours after escape
After taking 15,000 soles in cash, the criminals stole the couple's mobile phones and bank cards. They threatened the victims with the firearm once more to prevent them from following before escaping through the main front door into the early morning darkness.
Hours after the attack, the family discovered that the robbers had also targeted an adjoining property. The intruders climbed to the second floor of the neighboring building and stole 25 poultry birds, consisting of chickens and ducks.
Mechán stated that the stolen birds were worth approximately 2,000 soles. The total loss from the raid reached around 17,000 soles, excluding the value of the stolen mobile phones and financial cards.
Police post officers refuse emergency call
The family stated that immediately after the robbery, a relative ran across the Pan-American Highway North to a police quick-response post located directly opposite the house to ask for help.
According to the victims' relatives, the officers stationed at the quick-response post refused to go to the residence. Instead, the officers told the family that they had to travel to the La Victoria Police Station to submit a formal report.
Quick-response posts in Peru, known as puestos de auxilio rápido, are established to provide immediate emergency aid to local residents. The family later traveled to the designated station to lodge their complaint.
Victims demand camera footage and conduct probe
Mechán and Zafra have urged the Peruvian National Police to conduct a thorough investigation to identify and capture the three suspects responsible for the assault.
Mechán asked authorities to review local security camera footage to trace the movements of the assailants before and after they broke into the home.
The family also requested a formal inquiry into the conduct of the police officers who turned down their plea for assistance at the quick-response post opposite their home.
