Investigation into city home invasion continues

Article Photos

A city family returning to its Dove Street home late Tuesday night was met by three masked men armed "with weapons" who tied the residents with duct tape and other means before fleeing the house, city police said.

"We do not believe this was a random invasion," Capt. Glenn Ardrey said Wednesday morning.

Declining to disclose specific details, Ardrey said investigators believe the family was targeted by intruders, who supposedly were waiting inside the house in the 2500 block of Dove Street for them to return.

"We don't know the motive at this point," Ardrey said. "The victims walked in on them," he added.

Police sources said the family reportedly was returning from a trip to Philadelphia when it was confronted by masked men armed with guns.

Officers rushed to the home about 10:45 p.m. after the victims apparently managed to break free from their restraints and call 911.

Three adults - a man and a woman who lived at the property and a second woman visiting from Philadelphia - along with two children were "detained," one officer at the scene said. The children were ages 6 and 10, police said.

Police declined to say how long the five were tied up before the intruders fled.

What sounded like gunfire was heard outside the house moments after the bandits fled, according to reports at the scene.

"We don't know if it's at all related. The noise came from down the street. It could have been fireworks activity," Ardrey said.

Investigators would not say if anything was stolen from the home or if the victims were robbed.

The incident was classified as a robbery, according to the department's public log.

The intruders "attempted to take some property before they fled from the building," Ardrey said. He declined to specify what he meant by "property."

Reading from one officer's report, Ardrey said he had no information on whether the masked men demanded anything from the victims or threatened them.

Two of the adults were taken by ambulance to Williamsport Hospital, where they were "evaluated" for emotional distress, Ardrey said. One of them also was treated for a minor injury, he added, declining to be more specific.

Two agents have been assigned the case and are working on developing leads, Ardrey said.

When two reporters went to the Dove Street home late Wednesday morning to question the victims, a woman opened the door and repeatedly screamed obscenities at them.