MoCO Home Invasions Update 1-20-08

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR2008012301922_pf.html

Crime Report

Thursday, January 24, 2008; GZ16

Montgomery County

These were among incidents recorded by the Montgomery County Police Department's Media Services Division, which may not have received complete reports from all six stations for today's Extra. For more information, call 240-773-5030.

REWARDS FOR INFORMATION

Crime Solvers of Montgomery County Inc., a nonprofit community organization, will pay up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in connection with these and any other felony crimes. Call the 24-hour hotline at 800-673-2777. Callers may remain anonymous.

District 1 Rockville Station

ROBBERIES

CRABBS BRANCH WAY,16100 block, 3:40 p.m. Jan. 7. Two men, one wearing a ski mask, entered a house, implied that they had a weapon, took property and fled. The alleged incident was not immediately reported to police.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

SCHUYLKILL RD.,1200 block, 4:06 p.m. Jan. 9. A residence was entered by force. Nothing was reported missing. An arrest was made.

District 2 Bethesda Station

PEEPING TOM INCIDENT

POOKS HILL RD.,8 p.m. Jan. 8. A man looked at a woman through a window at her residence. The man later was seen nearby.

District 3 Silver Spring Station

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

MANCHESTER RD.,9000 block, 11:40 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. A man and a companion entered a residence by force, took property and fled.

SKI LODGE DRIVE,9:45 a.m.. An attempt was made to enter a front door of a residence with keys. Two males in a orange-colored box truck were seen during the incident.

11TH AVE.,8500 block, 11:15 a.m. Jan. 7. Two men and a female attempted to enter a residence by force but fled empty-handed in a white four-door Chevy Impala.



District 4 Wheaton Station

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

GOOD HOPE RD.,14500 block, 2 p.m. Jan. 1. An attempt was made by two male youths to enter a residence forcibly through a garage. The intruders were interrupted and fled.

STONE HOUSE LANE,1 to 9 a.m. Jan. 4. An attempt was made to enter a residence by force.

Rockville

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

RICHARD MONTGOMERY DR.,200 block, 9:30 to 9:51 p.m. Dec. 22. A burglary occurred. Two North Potomac women, ages 21 and 19, were arrested and charged with second-degree burglary.

-- Compiled by LISA M. BOLTON and GERRI MARMER

Another take on the Crabbs Branch “robbery,” from the Gazette:
http://www.gazette.net/stories/012308/aspenew215029_32372.shtml

Home invasion

*On Jan. 7 at 3:40 p.m., in the 16100 block of Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood. Two men entered the house and one implied a weapon. They reportedly took property and left. The incident was not immediately reported to the police. One of the men is described as black, 19-23, 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, 150-160 pounds, wearing a black ski mask, black vest, black shirt and jeans, black gloves. The second man is described as black, 19-25, 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall, 170-185 pounds, wearing a black baseball cap.

(That’s why I check multiple sources and list anything that appears to be a home invasion, regardless of how the police reportedly categorize the incident)


And the interruption of an evening burglary gets the homeowner killed; the same result in the end if he was home when the break-in began?

From the Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/24/AR2008012400264_pf.html

Police Investigate Fatal Shootings in Olney and Capitol Heights

By Debbi Wilgoren and Clarence Williams
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, January 24, 2008; 9:14 AM

A 74-year-old man was shot to death outside his home in Olney last night, Montgomery County police said, and Prince George's County police are investigating the fatal shooting of an unidentified man early this morning.

Gerrano James Fato was found dead just before 10 p.m. in the 3600 block of Martins Dairy Circle in Olney, police said in a statement. Fato, whose body was discovered in or near the two-car garage next to his residence, was the first person slain in Montgomery County this year.

Police said officers were called to the two-story brick house for a report of a possible burglary in progress. Investigators believe that Fato had just returned home when he was confronted by one or more people and shot.

Police did not say whether the house had been burglarized

They said no one was charged in the crime overnight, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the description of the suspects, are still under investigation.

Contrast that with how the Gazette reported the incident:

http://www.gazette.net/stories/012408/montnew114652_32369.shtml

Olney man found dead outside his home Wednesday night
by Terri Hogan | Staff Writer

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 74-year-old Olney man at his home Wednesday night.

At approximately 9:57 p.m., police officers responded to the 3600 block of Martins Dairy Circle for a possible burglary in progress. When they arrived they found an adult male, identified as Gennaro James Fato, dead near the garage.

The preliminary investigation revealed that Fato had just arrived home when he was confronted and shot by unknown subjects, county police said.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation.

The exact cause and manner of death will be confirmed after an autopsy is completed by the Medical Examiner’s Office.

The guy was “outside his home!?” The garage doesn’t count? The Post calls it like it is in THIS case, but soft-pedals the Crabbs Branch incident. That’s why these incidents take some analysis to get to the bottom of things; you really can’t rely on the face value of stories in the MSM.