By Catherine Kavanaugh, Daily Tribune Staff Writer
Suspects followed victim when she left work in Detroit.ROYAL OAK — Three more men have been charged for breaking into a Dorchester Avenue house and robbing the residents who hid in a closet and bathroom from what police describe as gun-toting intruders.Kyle Lester, 20, of Detroit, Justin Sanford, 19, of Farmington Hills, and Donte Leonard, 18, of Detroit each are being held on $500,000 bond for assault with intent to rob while armed, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, first-degree home invasion, and conspiracy to commit home invasion.The trio is scheduled for preliminary exams Feb. 26 in 44th District Court on the felonies, which carry penalties ranging from 20 years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both for home invasion, to life in prison for the armed robbery counts.The suspects reportedly followed a woman home from her job in Detroit about 3 a.m. Jan. 25, kicked in her front door and yelled, "ATF police, get down.""They were all involved in the forced entry," Lt. Gordon Young said.The culprits reportedly ran to an upstairs bedroom and stole property before fleeing when police arrived.Police arrested a suspected get-away car driver at the scene that night. Darius Lewis, 20, of Detroit was charged last month with unarmed robbery and conspiracy to commit unarmed robbery.A police dog from Madison Heights followed the trail of the suspects who ran through the back yard. The K-9 unit found a cell phone in the victim's yard and then tracked the culprits east to Symes Avenue through Kenwood Park. The dog found purses that belonged to the resident and her roommate and two handguns hidden in the landscaping of a house in the 600 block of Symes.The next day, the Oakland County Crime Suppression Task Force set up surveillance where the guns were found in case the suspects returned for the weapons. The three suspects charged Friday were part of a group that looked in bushes where the guns were located.Police said they believe the 27-year-old victim, who checks IDs at the door of Cheetah's, 19245 Eight Mile Road, was targeted randomly. She called police as soon as she got to her house in the 600 block of N. Dorchester Ave. to report that she had been followed from work.The victim hid with her children ages 5 and 7 in a bedroom closet while the roommate, 19, hid in the bathtub until police arrived. A Royal Oak dispatcher gave the mother updates on her cell phone as to where the responding officers were.Police said the victims were "terrified" but not hurt physically.Contact Catherine Kavanaugh at cathy.kavanaugh@dailytribune.com or (586) 783-0216.
http://www.dailytribune.com/articles/2010/02/17/news/srv0000007626267.txt
