Elbert County, Georgia



From Toccoa’s WNEG32.com of October 14, 2004

Home Invasions in Elbert County



The Elbert County Sheriff's Department needs your help to find a man who tried to invade elderly women's homes on October tenth.



Police say he's a young black man, with a light complexion, and a small, narrow face. He might be driving a dark green vehicle with taillights completely across the back.



Police say they don't know his motive for invading the homes. But they do know that the 80-year-old homeowners had weapons to protect themselves.



The Elbert County investigators say they have no idea why home invasions are becoming popular these days. Elbert County has had three in two weeks.



Police are looking for this man who they think tried to invade two homes owned by 80-year-old women.



"The suspect went to the house on Longcreek Road and tried to kick the front door in. The elderly women let the suspect know she had a gun and when she did, he took of running. Minutes later, there was another home invasion on Middleton Road and she shot at the suspect and he left,” says Sheriff Barry Haston. He thinks the invasions are connected because the houses were six miles away from each other. The sheriff says the man didn't steal anything from the second home, but did try to rape the woman. Sheriff Haston says having the guns kept those women alive.



"In these two cases I’m actually glad they did because it could have been a different story if they didn't,” says Haston.



The Crime Scene Unit and GBI are investigating the cases and other home invasions in the area. But the sheriff's department wants people to learn from two women in their eighties and protect themselves.



"That's why we give these courses so people will know firearm safety, how to operate a firearm, it just gives the elderly a sense of security when they take these classes,” says Haston.