Monroe County home invasion could be linked to Toledo case

Erie Township resident Joe Bodi, 78, was attacked in his home, shown, by masked gunmen.

ERIE — A weekend home invasion in rural Monroe County could be linked to at least one attempted burglary in Toledo, authorities said Wednesday.

Four men wearing ski masks broke into Joe Bodi’s Substation Road home in Erie Township Sunday, ransacking the home and holding the 78-year-old man at gunpoint.

He was able to call for help around 11:30 p.m. from his daughter’s home.

Around 2 a.m. Monday, four men wearing hoods showed up at a home in the 3700 block of Suder Avenue, about six miles away, in Toledo, Monroe County Sheriff’s Detective Jeff Corie said.

A man who lives in the home was able to scare off the men before they broke in, Detective Corie said.

The Suder Avenue homeowner and a neighbor, who happened to be awake at the time, saw the men flee in a maroon minivan, the detective said.

Authorities are still investigating. There are no other known connections at this time, but criminals from more urban areas are traveling to rural areas, Detective Corie said.

“I’m sure it’s becoming more and more of a trend,” he said. “We get criminals from Detroit and down river in Monroe County as well as the Toledo Region ... We are rural, it is dark out there and we do find that to be a common thing.”

Anyone who might have seen the minivan or has information about the case is asked to call the sheriff’s station at 734-847-6146.