An elderly resident of Torrence Street, just outside the Bogalusa city limits, was certainly happy that she had her cell phone handy and that she was able to get a signal Monday evening.

The woman was grabbed, overpowered and forced into the trunk of her car during a home invasion in which robbery was the apparent motive, according to the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The invader, who is believed to be a male, apparently did not realize that the victim had her cell phone on her person. When he returned to the house after locking her in the trunk, she made a quick 9-1-1 call from inside.

WPSO deputies and Bogalusa police officers were soon on the scene and rescued the woman from her trunk, but the suspect was able to flee into the nearby woods and has not been located or identified.

The woman was not seriously injured and nothing was taken from the home, according to the WPSO.

The sheriff’s office is working several leads and has called in the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab to assist in the investigation. Anyone with information on the case is urged to call Captain Tommie Sorrell at 839-3434. Callers may remain anonymous.

Seal encourages anybody who could help to please step forward.

“The fight against crime in Washington Parish must be a joint effort between the sheriff’s office and the good citizens of the parish,” he said. “Together, we can work to remove criminals from our neighborhoods and place them in jail where they belong.

“Crimes like this will not be tolerated and we are devoting all the resources of the Sheriff’s Office to bring this fugitive to justice.”