Deputies share photo of ski-masked suspect in Pontiac-area home invasions; officers say he choked 10-year-old
PONTIAC, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — The Oakland County Sheriff's Office urged Pontiac-area residents to keep their homes locked in response to a recent rash of early morning home invasions.
The alert, issued Wednesday, said that the suspect "appears to be targeting young females."
Detectives are investigating at least four attempted or successful home invasions that have similarities in method, targeted area and description of the suspect. The incidents all happened between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. since Dec. 23.
The most recent situation was shortly after 4 a.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of N. Anderson Street. The sheriff's office said a man who was wearing a ski mask, armed with a knife, choked a 10-year-old girl who had been sleeping. The girl screamed and the suspect was apparently frightened off; the girl's mother saw him running down the stairs and out of the home.
The girl was not injured.
Sheriff Michael Bouchard said it appeared the suspect entered the home through an unlocked kitchen window.
"Obviously, an intruder willing to climb into a home in the middle of the night and armed with a knife and primarily in homes with young girls is a person we need to catch and take off the street," Bouchard said. "We are asking for the community's vigilance and tips.
The three other homes in this rash of entries were in the 600 block of Northway, 100 block of N. Edith and 100 block of N. Marshall. In each instance, a person entered the home or attempted to gain entry through an unlocked window. The suspect appeared to target residences with teenage or adolescent girls. The suspect possessed a knife in three of the incidents.
Previous home invasions with circumstances similar to the four recent cases are also under investigation, officers said.
Police say the suspect has a thin build and stands from 5 feet, 7 inches to 6 feet tall. His age is estimated to be between 17 and 21. In each instance, he wears a ski mask and dark-colored clothing. He is believed to have been on foot; no one has seen him getting in or out of a vehicle.
In response to the situation, deputies urge residents to double-check all windows and doors to ensure they are locked; call 911 to report any suspicious activity.
The sheriff's office also asks that anyone with information about the series of break-ins is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Crime Stoppers has offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case. Tipsters remain anonymous.
