Police: Man arrested after Montco home invasion, robbery, chase

A man who broke into a Gulph Mills home, tied up one resident and forced another at gunpoint to drive to a bank machine and give him money was arrested after a police chase Tuesday morning, police said.

About 8 a.m., a man entered a home on Holstein Road by smashing a window, said Capt. James Early, of the Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, police.

"As far as we can tell now, we think he broke in to commit a burglary," he said.

When the suspect was confronted by one of the homeowners, Early said, he picked up a gun that was in the house and threatened him. He then tied up a female resident and forced the male to drive him to a Wawa, withdraw money from an ATM, and give it to him. Police did not disclose the amount of money.

The woman untied herself and called police, giving them a description of the car that was taken.

Police pulled it over on South Gulph Road, where the suspect fled into back yards, climbed a barrier and crossed the Schuylkill Expressway. Police caught him in a back yard in Upper Merion's Bob White Farms section, Early said.

Early wouldn't identify the suspect, who was to be arraigned later Tuesday.

Chief Thomas Nolan said it doesn't appear the suspect knew either of the residents. Police still are trying to determine why the house was targeted.

- Carolyn Davis