Cops Investigate Home Invasion

When home-invaders pistol-whipped a man and stole his stuff, neighbors swung into action to try to catch the crooks.

The incident occurred in the early morning hours, on Whittlesey Avenue Friday.

Here’s what happened, according to police spokesman Officer Dave Hartman:

At 3 a.m. on Friday morning, police responded to a home on Whittlesey Avenue on a report of a home invasion. The tenant on the first floor told cops he had been awakened by three men in his apartment. The first apparently shoved in an air conditioner, climbed in and opened a door to let accomplices in.

Two of the invaders had handguns. One pistol-whipped the tenant. They ransacked his room and stole some belongings.

A woman upstairs heard the commotion and phoned another neighbor, who wasn’t at home but headed over in a car. The man drove up as the burglars were leaving the building. All three fled. One got into a gray Nissan and took off.

A man who lives in another apartment drove after the fleeing perp. He caught up to him as he pulled into a driveway on West Elm Street. The burglar pulled his gun, fired a single shot in the air, and ran into a home. He came out a minute later in different clothes, got back in the Nissan, and drove off.

Police later found the Nissan in Ansonia. Cops will examine it for forensic evidence.

The burglars are described as young men, possibly teenagers. They took two cell phones, a PlayStation III, a wireless surround-sound system, cash, and a couple thousand dollars worth of designer Gucci and Prada sunglasses.

Police are asking anyone with helpful information to call 203 – 946-6304 and speak with a detective.