An 18-year-old Brandon Township man caught stealing from a township home ran, but couldn’t hide.
John Lawrence Elwell, a 2009 Brandon High School graduate, was arraigned Feb. 25 on a charge of home invasion, first degree, in front of 52-2 District Court Judge Kelley Kostin.
According to police reports, Brandon deputies responded to a home in the 2600 block of Buckeye Drive at about 7:30 p.m., Feb. 24 for a home invasion in progress. Two female residents of the home returned and discovered Elwell inside their unsecured garage. One of the women initially chased the subject from the garage, while the other called 9-1-1. Inside the home during the incident was a male resident, asleep on the couch.
Deputies arrived and tracked Elwell’s footprints in the snow to the 2200 block of Paw Paw and found him at his residence, where he again attempted to flee. He was taken into custody behind his residence without incident. With the consent of the homeowner, deputies recovered a stereo stolen from the victims? garage in Elwell’s bedroom. Elwell confessed to the incident.
Home invasion first degree is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or $5,000 in fines.