Butler County Sheriff's Office

[Public Info Officer]

For Immediate Release… Date: 12-14-09

“Sheriff stresses Safety tips after Liberty Twp. home invasion”

Sheriff Jones is urging the community to “Be Alert and Cautious!!!” A home invasion on Sunday afternoon has prompted the Sheriff to remind us that it’s that time of year again. He says, “A lot of people are busy either out shopping or gone away from their homes and unfortunately that’s when criminals try to take advantage of the situation”. Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 6200 block of Willow Brooke Drive in Liberty Township yesterday at around 6 p.m. A 31 year old mother of two reports she and her children were home alone when she thought she heard her family come home. She reports she was upstairs with her children and did not know that intruder(s) were in her home. Fortunate for her the criminal(s) realized she was home and fled the residence immediately with no harm to her or her children.
When the woman looked out her upstairs window she saw a white, full-size van pulling away from across the street. She described the van as not having any side or back windows and there were no markings on it. When deputies arrived they found her front door had been kicked open and there were foot tracks around the home showing person(s) had walked around it prior to the intrusion. Deputies searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect(s) or vehicle.

The Sheriff states, “She’s very fortunate that she nor her children were hurt. I don’t want to imagine what could have happened if there had been a confrontation. Let this stand as a reminder to us all!” He is asking that people take precautions to protect themselves and others, whether they are out shopping or at home, by following a few safety rules:

1. Leave some lights turned on in your home. (This tends to make suspects think the home is occupied and they are less likely to intrude)
2. Never leave an “extra key” to your home in an obvious finding spot.
3. Lock your home and vehicle doors and set the alarms. (Even when you are at home!)
4. Use the buddy system. (criminals tend to prey on victims who are alone)
5. If you are gone for vacation ask a relative or trusted friend/neighbor to collect your mail or newspapers.
6. Help protect each other. (Be observant to suspicious persons or vehicles in your neighborhoods and IMMEDIATELY report suspicious activity!)



Prepared by: Sgt. Melina Smith
Criminal Investigations Division