OXFORD TWP. – A mother and her two young children had to lock themselves inside a bedroom Friday morning after a burglar broke into their home on Oakmont Dr., between Teelin and Woodbriar drives, just west of M-24.
That was one of two home invasions that occurred between Friday and Sunday.
The 38-year-old mother was upstairs with her two kids, ages 1 and 11, when she “heard a loud banging noise on her back porch door,” followed by the sound of the security alarm going off, according to the sheriff’s report.
She took a few steps down the stairs and observed “a very tall white male in a long white t-shirt standing in her kitchen,” the report stated.
The suspect was described as having a “thin build” and a height of approximately 6 feet to 6 feet, 5 inches.
According to the report, the mother ran back up the stairs, “grabbed her kids and locked them all in the bedroom” until deputies arrived.
Approximately $60 in cash and a pair of “cheap” sunglasses were reported missing. The sunglasses were found in the backyard and taken to the sheriff’s forensic science lab to check for fingerprints.
Investigators believe the suspect “forced his way through the rear porch door,” possibly using his shoulder. “Minor damage” to the wood around the door’s dead bolt was observed.
“There were no signs of tools or footprints,” the report stated.
A canine unit attempted to track the suspect, but was unsuccessful.
Another home invasion was reported on Ora Rd. along Stony Lake on June 10.
A 21-year-old woman discovered someone had broken into her deceased father’s home, which had been willed to her and her brother, who lives in Midland.
She and her mother had been cleaning the house and sorting its contents.
According to the report, when they left the house on June 8, “all of the doors and windows were secured.”
When they returned to the home two days later, they discovered it had been burglarized.
A crossbow, gallon of vodka and a 55-inch television were reported missing. All of the closets and drawers were open and had been rummaged through, according to the report.
A large duffel bag was found on the floor in the front room. The report indicated it contained items that had previously been located in different areas throughout the house. It appears the suspect had used the bag to collect the items.
According to the report, the suspect gained access to the home by climbing through an unsecured window. The 21-year-old homeowner told deputies she found a chair by a rear window. It had been previously located on the front deck.