ST. JOSEPH – Berrien County Sheriff’s Office (road patrol and detectives) had been investigating several daytime home invasions in Bainbridge and Pipestone townships for the past several months.

These daytime home invasions started in late September.

On Nov. 23, 2009, detectives received a break.

With another daytime home invasion reported in Bainbridge Township, this time the victim home owner interrupted the B&E of the residence, gave a description of two suspects and wrote down the registration number of the vehicle they were driving.

From the information from the home owner, detectives, assisted by detectives from the South Bend, Ind., Police Department, located two suspects (a married couple) and the vehicle which was used.

From interviews with both suspects, warrants for both arrests for the charge of home invasion, second degree, was authorized by the Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office.
Detectives also seized from a residence in South Bend, where both subjects had been living, a loaded double- barrel, sawed-off, 12-gauge shotgun.

Warrants for these subjects are for the Nov. 23 complaint.

Information from the other daytime home invasions was still being investigated Monday.
Another suspect was still outstanding and believed to be in southern Indiana or in northern Kentucky.

Arrested was Stephanie Jean Rapalski, 29, currently living at 1215 Jefferson St., Mishawaka, Ind.

She’s lodged at the Berrien County Jail in St. Joseph on the charge of home invasion, second degree. She waived extradition back to Michigan.

Also arrested was Joseph Michael Rapalski, 23, of the same address.

He’s lodged at the St. Joseph County, Ind., Jail, on a felony probation violation and a possession of a sawed-off shotgun charge out of South Bend and home invasion, second degree, out of Berrien County, according to Det. Lt. David Chandler of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office.