4 arrested in home invasion

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — Police here do not believe a home invasion robbery Monday night was random.

"This was calculated ... premeditated," said Cottonwood Heights police detective Beau Babka.

The incident happened just before 5 p.m. at a house near 3500 East and 7600 South. Four men kicked in a door and found four people inside, Babka said.

At least two of the men assaulted two of the occupants. The intruders were armed with a screwdriver, Babka said.

The group went through the house, looking specifically for 1.5 pounds of marijuana they said they knew was in the house, Babka said. After finding the drugs and taking some cash, the group left.

The four were stopped a short time later by a Midvale police officer and arrested for investigation of multiple charges, including aggravated assault and aggravated robbery.

The biggest problem for investigators Tuesday was sorting through all the different stories being told by those involved. One of the occupants of the house during the home invasion was a 19-year-old man already under investigation for a previous drug bust in Cottonwood Heights earlier this year.

Last month, police arrested a mother and son who investigators claim were selling Oxycontin out of their house, predominantly to teenagers. Charges on that case were still pending Tuesday.

Babka said police planned to interview the son again today to find out what he was doing inside that house Tuesday night.

— Jens Dana, Pat Reavy