By By JAN GRIFFEY / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- A task force working to solve a rash of armed home invasions police officials think are related has issued more information about the crimes, as well as warnings to Niles area residents.
Residents of the City of Niles and Howard and Milton townships in Cass County, as well as residents in South Bend and St. Joseph County in Indiana have suffered from a series of armed home invasions that apparently began on April 25.
A total of 15 home invasions since that date seem to be related, Niles City Police Chief Ric Huff wrote in a press release issued Monday.
In some cases, the suspects, described as black males in their early 20s, displayed hanguns. They demanded cash from the victims and in several cases, have restrained the victims with tape, police said.
In all cases, there have been two or three suspects working together, police said.
The suspect vehicles have been described as a dark-colored, mid-sized car and as a full-size, white conversion van.
The majority of the home invasions have occurred between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., Michigan time (EDT), police said.
Niles City Police are available at 9-1-1 or 683-1313.
There have been five home invasions in the City of Niles, five in Cass County, three in St. Joseph County, Ind., and two in South Bend, Ind.
The timeline of the crimes is as follows:
April 25 -- 1600 block of Sioux Trail, Niles
April 30 -- 21000 block of Belkay, St. Joseph County, Ind.
May 11 -- 56000 block of Quince, St. Joseph County, Ind.
May 12 -- 1600 block of Cherry Street, Niles
May 14 -- 1200 block of North 17th Street, Niles
May 14 -- 300 block of Batchelor Drive, Niles
May 20 -- 2200 block of Maple Lane, Niles
May 20 -- 600 block of North 14th Street, Niles
May 20 -- 500 block of Grandview Street, South Bend, Ind.
June 18 -- 2800 block of E. Eisenhower Ave., South Bend, Ind.
June 28 -- 2200 block of Bell Road, Niles
June 28 -- 2300 block of Redfield Road, Niles
July 5 -- Center Street and Barron Lake Road, Niles
July 5 -- 1600 block of Oak Street, Niles
July 5 -- 50000 block of Lilac, St. Joseph County, Ind.