Area’s String Of Dangerous Home Invasions Continues

Two new home invasion cases in SW Michigan point to the need for vigilance and
strong home security measures.

Kalamazoo
Some Kalamazoo residents turned the tables on a home invader early this morning.  The area’s ongoing series of residential invasions continued a little after 2 this morning along Burr Oak Street in Kalamazoo south central district. Residents of an apartment in the home heard noises at a doorway. When they opened the door to check – there was a man pointing a gun at them.

The gunman forced his way inside. That’s when the residents realized the gun was fake.  They charged and subdued the man. While a couple held him to the floor, another called 911. When Public Safety officers arrived, the would-be invader was still under control on the floor. He apparently suffered some injuries inflicted by the residents. The 18 year old was jailed on felony home invasion charges and a couple other felonies.  The residents are all OK.

Battle Creek
A home invasion in Battle Creek found the residents and responding Battle Creek City police face to face with the armed intruders. This could have ended a lot worse. The homeowner along West Spaulding called police. He could see a couple of men trying to kick in his back door through an app for his home security system.

On arrival, officers confronted a man armed with a handgun trying to leave the home. He gave up without incident. Moments later, a second man emerged with his hands up. But as officers closed in, he took off running, and escaped. Within a couple minutes, employees at a nearby business called police. They reported a man had entered the store and went straight for a bathroom and locked himself inside. After a short standoff, he came out and gave himself up to officers.

While all that was going on, officers got a description of a potential vehicle that was involved. The description was sent out to area departments. Within a couple minutes, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted city police stopped a car matching the description on Bedford Road near Morgan. The driver told officers he didn’t know the two other men who he dropped off near the home. He drove around the block until officers showed and he took off. The two men involved in the home invasion are from the Detroit area. The vehicle driver is a Battle Creek resident. All three suspects are facing a list of criminal charges from the case.