5 arrested in Jackson home invasion that turned out to be unauthorized eviction, cops say
JACKSON - Five men, one from Lakewood and four from Brooklyn, were arrested Wednesday after police found them in an Olena Drive home following an alleged forced entry.
What authorities called a home invasion turned out to be an unauthorized eviction involving a Brooklyn security company, police said.
Police went to the home at 6:09 p.m. after getting a call from a resident inside about a home invasion.
Once inside, a resident pointed to the five men who she said were responsible, shouting that they broke into the house and assaulted the family, police said.
Police said the suspects forced their way into the home through the front door, damaging it. Residents told investigators the men held down a male and female resident and took their phones so they could not call 911, police said.
The men then started changing the deadbolt and lock on the front door, police said.
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Detectives found that the home was owned by a man who leased it to another man who in turn subleased it. The owner reportedly hired a security company based in Brooklyn to evict the people there without going through the eviction process, police said.
The five men were employees of the security company, police said.
Hours before. police encountered the men after receiving a call about a suspicious vehicle in the area. They identified themselves as employees of a security company who were there to meet a client for a job nearby. Police did not detain them since they had broken no laws.
Arrested on charges of robbery, burglary, criminal restraint, theft, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing and simple assault were Christopher Landau, 26, Robert Drozd, 38, Joseph Castano, 22 and Cesar Saavedra-Luna, 24, all from Brooklyn, and Marco Balanzar-Hernandez, 45, of Lakewood.
The charges include at least one that has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The men were taken to Ocean County Jail in Toms River, and the investigation is continuing.
Ken Serrano covers crime, breaking news, investigations and local issues. Reach him at kserrano@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jackson NJ home invasion: 5 arrested in unauthorized eviction
