A grandmother and her granddaughter thwart a violent home invasion in Sueros, Mieres
In a courageous act that stunned a quiet neighborhood, a 79-year-old grandmother and her twenty-something granddaughter blocked a pair of intruders from forcing their way into a home in Sueros, on the outskirts of Mieres. The Spanish Guardia Civil later confirmed the arrest of two suspects, with one remaining jailed and two others being investigated for violence and intimidation related to the incident. The women say the moment was terrifying, but their quick thinking and solidarity helped avert a worse outcome. The development comes after a frightful October 3 attack and marks a turning point for a family that had feared they might not see justice done for some time.
The two women had been preparing for bed when they heard a knock at the door late on October 3. The occupant recalls the voice on the other side, calm and insistent, asking them to open quickly because they were in a hurry. The homeowner, who manages the property, initially thought it might be one of her grandchildren. When she opened, a man lunged at her. Luckily, the granddaughter, aged 24, had suspected trouble and the pair kept the door from being forced inside, creating a tense standoff that bought precious seconds.
The assailant wore a masked face and carried a knife-like instrument. During the struggle, he asked about the location of a safe. The answer was swift and unequivocal: there was no access to valuables to be found, and the women fought back. The confrontation led to a violent scuffle in which both residents sustained injuries. The grandmother received superficial cuts to the face and arm, and the intruder fled after the resistance intensified. Neighbors who heard cries and alarms also came out to confront the threat, further pressuring the attacker to flee and avoid a larger encounter. The elder victim described a chaotic scene in which shouting and banging drew attention from the street as the burglar backed away, cursing and threatening others before leaving the home behind.
Investigators from the Guardia Civil pieced together the sequence of events, revealing a four-man group, aged 25 to 33, all with prior offenses against property. The operation involved two vehicles, one used to scout and the other to facilitate the escape. One suspect reportedly entered the residence in an attempt to commit the robbery, while another monitored the surroundings from a nearby location. The remaining two waited in the getaway car to speed the exit, according to authorities after reviewing the evidence. The victim was able to identify the face of the attacker when the mask slipped during the struggle, a crucial detail that helped confirm the suspect’s identity when authorities later showed photos during the investigation.
Following the incident, the investigators tracked the suspects through a pattern of movements and a vehicle used by the criminals that did not appear linked to them at first glance. The case underwent multiple rounds of questioning, and two suspects were questioned as part of the ongoing inquiry on February 12. Four days later, the remaining two were detained. A local court subsequently ordered pretrial detention for the primary assailant involved in entering the home.
On the broader timeline, this incident marked the second robbery at the same residence within months. Earlier, two individuals had managed to breaching the home and looted the safe, detaining the homeowner for a prolonged period and attempting to subdue them with restraints. The resident later speculated that someone close to the family could have tipped off the thieves about the valuables. The first attack also left the home badly damaged and led the owner to halt keeping valuables inside the property. The homeowner notes that the prior break-in served as a painful preface to the October incident and changed how the family approached security.
In the wake of the incidents, the family acted to reinforce the property with a security gate at the door and metal bars along the lower-floor windows to deter future intruders. The experience left them shaken but determined. The elder resident recalls feeling unsafe enough to consider moving into assisted living in the immediate aftermath, underscoring how fear can affect even the most resilient families. Yet in the end, she emphasizes a sense of responsibility and resolve that helped her stand up to the threat: defense and instinct rose above fear in that moment, and she believes she did what any parent or grandparent would do to protect loved ones. The family continues to urge vigilance and safety while looking for a sense of normalcy returning to their home after a terrifying ordeal.