ELYRIA, Ohio — Two armed robberies within 36 hours shocked two different neighborhoods in Elyria. Four people are now behind bars after breaking into homes and terrorizing families inside.
On Monday, Elyria Police said a 17-year-old juvenile and 18-year-old J'Marion Carter-Woods cut through a window screen to break into a home in the 300 block of Barres Lane.
The homeowner said he was inside caring for his daughter.
"Random teens, running up in your home, and you have a 2-year-old daughter that you have to protect."
That man called the police and was able to describe those suspects who were armed with a gun. Police arrested the juvenile and Carter-Woods near 9th Street and West Avenue.
The juvenile was taken to the Lorain County Juvenile Detention Home. Carter-Woods was taken to the Lorain County Jail. Both were charged with aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence and felonious assault. Carter-Woods was arranged on a $250,000 bond.
On Tuesday, a man who lives at the Rosewood Apartment Complex called police after checking his home surveillance footage to find two masked gunmen inside his apartment with his girlfriend and child.
In a 911 call, the man says, "somebody is in my house right now robbing my house with guns and they have my girlfriend and baby there."
For over 25 minutes, that man told dispatchers every move of the intruders: "I'm shaking right now. They're in the kitchen. One of them is in the kitchen."
"The caller did a really good job of updating us with what he was observing through the video surveillance. The suspects were completely unaware that video surveillance existed," said Captain Bill Lantz, Elyria Police.
With that real-time information through the 911 call, officers were able to form a perimeter and get inside the apartment without the woman or child getting hurt.
Ramal Sitton, 21, and 20-year-old Johnny Rice are facing aggravated burglary, kidnapping, felonious assault, weapons under disability, and disrupting public services charges.
"When Judge Bennett heard the details of this particular incident, I think he was appalled and had significant concern for community safety with these individuals, both of their bonds were set at two and quarter million dollars apiece," said Captain Lantz.
Lantz said both these incidents are isolated and uncommon. Over the last year, Lantz reports the violent crime rate in Elyria has gone down.
