Local victim describes home invasion, takes beating, gets robbed

Erie Township resident Joseph Bodi, 78, stands by the front door masked gunmen kicked in before they attacked him late Sunday night. It's now boarded up and a security system is scheduled to be installed.

ERIE — Joseph Bodi said he woke up in bed late Sunday night to see four masked men standing over him with one of them pointing a gun.

The 78-year-old retired Libbey Glass worker was beaten on the head during a home invasion at his home on Substation Road near Erie.

“They had their faces completely covered. They had ski masks on,” said Mr. Bodi, who was treated at Toledo Hospital for a cut and bruises to his head that he suffered in the attack and robbery.

The intruders entered the home after Mr. Bodi after 9:30 p.m. when the grandfather and great grandfather retired for the night.

The suspects kicked in the front door, splintering the frame into the living room. Mr. Bodi, who is very hard of hearing, said he never heard the robbers entered the house.

He said one of the men held the gun to him while the others searched the home for valuables.

“It seemed like every time I wanted to do something and I tried to get up, he poked me with that gun,” he said.

The intruders ransacked the bedroom, tossing the mattress in search of valuable items. Among the items taken were the keys to his pickup truck, cash — about $30 he had in his wallet and $37 on a dresser, and a glass jar containing change.

Mr. Bodi’s Ford 150 black pickup truck that was parked in the garage was not taken.

Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the victim’s home in Erie Township about getting the 911 call from the victim’s daughter, Sue Sorge, who lives nearby. Mr. Bodi doesn’t have a telephone or cell phone.

Mr. Bodi said he crawled on the floor where the intruders left him to a couch in the living room and then used a towel to wipe blood from his head. He said he got dressed and drove to his daughter’s home.