Five arrested in home-invasion robberies

Jace Radke

Thursday, June 28, 2001 | 10:49 a.m.

Metro Police have arrested five people, including two juveniles, in connection with a series of home-invasion robberies.

The group is believed to be responsible for three home invasions in southwest and northwest Las Vegas Monday night and Tuesday morning, said Lt. John Alamshaw of Metro's robbery detail.

"These were extremely dangerous people," Alamshaw said. "They entered these homes with weapons."

Investigators followed up on leads and on Wednesday night arrested the five suspects at several locations, Alamshaw said.

One of the suspects, after trying to elude officers during a foot chase, was taken into custody at an apartment complex near Charleston Boulevard and Buffalo Drive. A perimeter was set up around the complex, and with the help of K-9 units the suspect was found hiding under a staircase about 6:30 p.m.

Three men and a boy and girl, both juveniles, were eventually arrested and charged in connection with the robberies, Alamshaw said.

"These people were out looking for easy victims," Alamshaw said. "We believe that most of the group were involved in all three of the robberies, and we're looking into a home invasion in Henderson that could be related."

In one of the robberies, at a home near Fort Apache and Flamingo roads, a man, his girlfriend and a child were victimized. The robbers demanded money from the family, and at one point one of the suspects took the girlfriend into another room and sexually assaulted her, police said.

"These people were predators," Alamshaw said. "There were kids in some of these homes during the robberies, and they were terrorized."

Detectives worked through the early-morning hours today to serve search warrants in connection with the arrests. Police also are looking into unsolved home invasions and robberies to determine whether this group may have been involved.

On Wednesday night, another family was the target of a home-invasion robbery.

Mark Qwasek had little time to act as two gunmen followed his wife into their east Las Vegas home about 6:15 p.m.

"I just tried to get to the phone and call the police," Qwasek said. "I got out and ran to a neighbor's for a phone. They could have shot my family."

Qwasek's frightened wife and two young daughters were able to follow him out of the house and to safety while the two suspects looked for money in the home near Harmon Avenue and Sandhill Road.

The home-invasion robbery happened in the 3600 block of Greencrest Drive, as Qwasek's wife was returning home from work, Metro Police detective Jim Stelk said.

"They followed the wife inside, and the husband kind of tussled with one (of the suspects) before the family made it outside," Stelk said. "The whole thing was very fast."

Both of the suspects, described only as one white man and one Hispanic man, were armed with handguns. They apparently stole a cell phone, some keys and wallets, police say.

Qwasek said he had moved into the neighborhood south of Flamingo Road and east of Sandhill because it was quiet and safe.

"I'm just glad my family is safe," Qwasek said. "What a scummy town we live in."