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Home Invasion in Luzerne County

Posted: Feb 27, 2008 12:20 PM EST

Last Updated: Feb 27, 2008 04:23 PM EST

By Bob Reynolds

A woman in Luzerne County fought back after a man broke into her home. The break-in happened Tuesday night at a home in West Hazleton.

Police are looking for the man and are warning people to make sure they lock their doors.

Click for larger image
Terri Gavinski demonstrates how she fired a gun at a man who got into her house and tried to rob her.

Terri Gavinski’s hands were still shaking today as she looked over her husband’s coin collection, a collection which was almost stolen from their West Hazleton home.

“He didn’t bust the door or anything. We can’t remember if we didn’t lock it here,” Gavinski said. “All of a sudden I say this man standing there and he was all black, every shingle thing was black.”

Her quiet night at home turned into a living nightmare when a masked man got into her home. “He said, ‘Yo!’ And I said, ‘Take whatever you want’ and I said, ‘Please don’t hurt me! I don’t have anything.’ I said, ‘I have no money, no cash,’” Gavinski recounted. “I said, ‘My husband is a coin collector. Take whatever you want, whatever you want.’”

“I didn’t want to look at him. I didn’t want to make eye contact and I was just , take it, I don’t care. (He said) ‘Just keep doing it, bitch, just keep throwing. Don’t be holding out on me. Don’t be holding out on me,’” Gavinski added. “I just did whatever he wanted me to do and I was just hoping he wasn’t going to rape me or, you know.”

She said then she was led up the steps and forced to load valuables in trash bags. The bandit was ready to haul the loot from the home when Gavinski grabbed a gun and fired a shot. It missed the robber but put a hole in a kitchen window.

“He went around toward the kitchen and I was right behind him and I just remember this loud bang and echo and he just took off,” the brave woman said. Her husband is relieved she is safe.

“I told her I am more proud of her than I ever was before for protecting herself,” said Dave Gavinski.

Word has spread through the neighborhood and some said they aren’t surprised by the news.

“No, not with the things going on in Hazleton any more no I’m not surprised to hear stuff like that going on. There is a number of break-ins all the time but thank God I haven’t had any here,” said Denny Lehman of West Hazleton.

Police do have advice for residents until the bandit is caught.

“Just be cautious, be aware of your surroundings. Keep lights on at night,” recommended West Hazleton Police Sergeant Brian Buglio.

The bandit apparently didn’t read a sign in a window that reads, “protected by loaded gun.” Both the Gavinski and police agree that after being shot at the suspect is probably not going to come back anytime soon.

Police said their suspect is about six feet tall, possibly African American. He was wearing a green bandana with dark gloves and pants.

Anyone with information about the home invasion is asked to call West Hazleton police at 570-455-3733.

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