Suspect caught in home invasion
Canonsburg police obtained an arrest warrant for a Canton Township man they believe is one of three intruders suspected of forcing their way into a North Central Avenue home early Wednesday and pointing a gun at two women inside the residence.
Police Chief Alex Coghill credited the assistance of officers from Cecil, Chartiers and North Strabane townships in helping to quickly take one of the suspects, 18-year-old Robert Lee Austin Jr., into custody.
Police were called at 2:47 a.m. to the home of Dawn Brock, 250 N. Central Ave. Brock was upstairs and Jodi Smith was on a couch in the living room with her daughter when three men wearing dark clothing and masks kicked in the front door and entered the house.
“We believe they were looking for a safe in the house,” Coghill said. “They pointed a gun at the heads of Dawn and Jodi.”
“When they didn’t find what they were looking for, they fled from the house toward Valley View Terrace,” Coghill added. “North Strabane, Cecil and Chartiers responded to assist us in setting up a perimeter.”
A cellphone stolen from the house was found on the street in the 300 block of North Central.
Coghill said Chartiers police Sgt. Ron Raymond spotted a suspicious man, later identified as Austin, and stopped and detained him in the 700 block of Dawson Street in Valley View Terrace. Coghill said Austin had a prescription bottle with Smith’s name on it that was stolen from the house. Austin also initially gave police a different name.
“When a critical incident like this happens, all the neighboring departments respond and we work as one department,” Coghill said. “It definitely helps.”
Coghill said seven people were in the house at the time of the home invasion, including three under the age of 18. A 19-year-old who was in the home reportedly had a recent confrontation with Austin, Coghill said.
Detective Michael Ledger said he was contacted by state police in an effort to determine whether Wednesday’s home invasion is connected to one reported about 11:20 p.m. Sunday at 27 W. McNutt St. Shaun H. Sappe, Meghan E. Sappe and Robert Cox told state police six men who appeared to be in their early 20s armed with rifles and handguns forced their way into their residence. The five black men and one white man reportedly wore dark clothing and masks.
Mayor David Rhome said police are working with a citizens crime watch group that is being developed.
“We also need for citizens to continue to be involved,” Rhome said. “They need to be vigilant and watch out for their neighbors.”
Austin, whose last known address was Findlay Street, Canton, was placed in the Jefferson County (Ohio) Juvenile Detention Center on a juvenile probation violation, said Ledger. He is scheduled for a detention hearing in juvenile court today. Austin could be arraigned as early as today before District Judge David Mark on seven counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment and one count each of robbery, burglary, carrying a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property and conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary.
Coghill said more arrests are pending.