Yesterday it was announced that Meridian Township Police were in search of a man who entered an apartment at The Lodges Apartments located near MSU’s campus. According to WILX-TV, the man is believed to have walked into an unlocked apartment while the woman who lived there was taking a shower.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the man entered the apartment and waited in the bedroom as the young woman showered. As he waited, the woman’s roommate came home; the suspect then ran off. Police are calling the man a “home invasion suspect,” and believe him to be a while male in his mid-twenties, about 5′ 10″ tall with a medium build and brown hair.
Lieutenant Greg Frenger said the police believe the man had been watching the woman and her apartment, and that he knew she would be alone when he entered. Frenger also believes the woman left the apartment door unlocked, a practice that is all too common in the apartment complex. A neighbor who lives across the hall from where the incident took place said that residents don’t always lock their doors, as many come in and out frequently. Frenger asked that residents be more cautious and aware, but particularly vigilant in locking their doors.
When the suspect is apprehended, he could be facing charges of home invasion or breaking and entering. Michigan criminal defense attorneys know that a person does not have to break out a window or kick in a door to be accused of home invasion. When an individual enters a home fraudulently, even through a window that is partially opened, he or she may be charged with breaking and entering or home invasion. Even pushing open a door that is not locked is against the law, when someone else’s home or property is entered for fraudulent or criminal purposes.
Those charged with home invasion must contact a seasoned defense lawyer immediately, as your legal rights must be protected from the outset. Police can be unforgiving when interrogating someone suspected of a crime, wearing the suspect down and getting him/her to say things that may be further incriminating. Many investigators have even been successful in getting suspects to admit to crimes they didn’t commit with these intense pressure tactics. It is not unlawful for police to lie during an interview in an effort to get a suspect to admit to a crime – and they do it regularly.
If you have been accused of home invasion, you could be facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted of home invasion in the first degree. Do not face the criminal justice system without benefit of a skilled Michigan criminal defense attorney.