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An elderly couple in New Carrollton was bound with duct tape and robbed in their home early Monday morning by a man who then ransacked their home, prompting warnings from police for residents to secure their homes before going to bed.

Around 4 a.m. Monday, a man entered the home in the 6100 block of 85th Place and bound the couple, New Carrollton police said Thursday. The man then stole approximately $1,200, Lt. William Everts said.

Police found no signs of forced entry to the home and are not certain how the man got inside, Everts said.

"We were not able to determine a point of entry, so it's possible that someone just left a door or window open," he said.

Earlier in the night, one of the residents was awakened by a noise in the house and checked the home but didn't see anything suspicious, Everts said. A short time later the man woke the couple, who are both in their 70s, and bound them. Sometime after 7 a.m., one of the residents was able to get free from the duct tape and called police.

Robberies that occur while residents are home are fairly uncommon, Everts said. The last similar incident in New Carrollton occurred over the summer when an elderly man was bound and robbed in his home by a group of juveniles. The suspects in the case were arrested a short time after the robbery, Everts said.

Residents should make sure their doors and windows are locked and secure before going to bed, and if they see anything suspicious, they should call 911, Everts said.

The Prince George's County Police Department is investigating the robbery.