HILL COUNTY (January 29, 2010)--The Hill County Sheriff's Office is investigating a home invasion in which a 54-year-old woman was held at gunpoint and then tied up by a man who stole her jewelry.

The home invasion happened at around 8 p.m. Thursday off FM 67 north of Itasca near Interstate 35.

The woman told deputies she was watching television when she heard a noise in her garage.

When she went outside to look around, a man with a gun who was wearing a ski mask and dark clothing surprised her.

He forced her back in the house, tied her up and escaped with the stolen jewelry.

The woman was able free herself.

She ran to a neighbor’s home to call 911.

Paramedics treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Deputies believe the man may be Hispanic, in his 40's, about 5-10 and weighing around 170 to 180 pounds.

Authorities don’t think the home invasion is related to a dozen assaults and rapes of elderly Central and South Texas women attributed to a serial rapist, who remains at large, but said they would forward information about the case to the rape investigators.