4 charged after Plymouth Twp. home invasion, standoff

Four Philadelphia men are in police custody after a swat standoff in Plymouth Township early Monday morning.

Police responded to a call around 8:30 a.m. for reports of two suspicious men knocking on the doors of a home, and two other men getting out of a truck and going through the front window of the home.

Before police arrived the two men from the truck make their way inside and confront the homeowner, hitting him in the head, and threatening to kill him while putting a gun in his mouth.

Officers arrived about a minute after the men entered the home, and see three men running from the home. All three were caught, when police realized two of those who fled were suspects and the third was the 70-year-old homeowner trying to escape.

That's when police say a masked man confronted police outside of the home with a handgun, and ran back inside, barricading the door.

SWAT teams responded to the scene and a standoff followed, lasting for about three hours. Finally, the two men inside the home surrendered and came out with their hands up, and were taken into custody without further incident.

The four suspects, ages 18, 18, 22, and 31, were all charged with burglary, home invasion, and related charges.

Investigators say the incident appears to be random.