Pocono News Section

Scranton Students Victims of Violent Home Invasion Robbery

Scranton Students Victims of Violent Home Invasion Robbery - Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 11:00PM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Wednesday, Feb 6, 2008 @11:00pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- It’s a neighborhood on edge. Some Scranton college students believe they are attractive targets after a violent home invasion and robbery that happened early Wednesday morning in the city's Hills section.

It's a neighborhood full of college students coming and going. Most of the houses in the 400 block of Taylor Aveneue are converted apartments. What happened to four students living in the second-floor unit of 444 Taylor has spread fear. John Pusateri said, “This usually isn't something university students are used to, so I think everyone's going to be cautious and keep their front doors locked.”

Police say after knocking on the door, five men between 16 and 20-years-old burst in. Some had masks, others were armed. One had a knife and another had a gun, according to investigators. “To me it seems something was planned with the burglaries and that it's not something people expect to happen,” added Pusateri.

But other students living on the block will disagree with what's to be expected in this neighborhood anymore, saying it's getting ‘kind of bad.’ Casey Holleran said, “It doesn't surprise me. Last weekend our house got robbed and we had laptops and an X-Box stolen.”

Graduate student Stephanie Petrosino says she had it. I'm worried about my own safety, so I'm moving in April so I can get out of this area.