Collingdale home fire, burglary, and police standoff under investigation: DA

What we know about Collingdale fire, burglary, and standoff

A chaotic incident involving a fire, burglary, and police standoff occurred at a home in Collingdale, drawing an ongoing investigation and significant emergency response.

COLLINGDALE, Pa. - Police and fire crews responded overnight to a home on Rhodes Avenue in Collingdale after a reported burglary and fire, according to neighbors and scanner audio. The Delaware County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigations Division remained at the scene Wednesday.

What we know:

Authorities focused on a home on Rhodes Avenue after neighbors reported heavy police and fire activity overnight. 

Scanner audio described a burglary in progress with two armed men inside, and the house was believed to be empty at the time.

What they're saying:

"Kind of relieved that it’s over but it was really scary as it was going," said Shawnae Lane, a neighbor. 

"I saw the cops come up first, some SWAT teams came up afterwards and everything and next thing I know the fire trucks came. This house was on fire and I saw smoke coming right out the top of the house so they wouldn’t allow us to come up and actually see what was going on," said Christopher Harrold, a neighbor.

The man who alerted police said his brother leases the home, and it was his brother’s girlfriend who received a notification about suspicious activity.

The backstory:

The man who contacted police said he and others watched the break-in unfold on a ring camera. 

"As we are watching them on the ring camera, someone called the police, alerted them to what was going on and the police came surrounded the house to make sure the people that was inside didn’t go outside," he said.

He added that his brother, Michael Robinson, is currently in jail in Texas and the home was empty at the time. Robinson was arrested in February near Radnor Middle School and extradited on a sexual assault charge involving a minor in Texas, which his brother says he is innocent of.

According to the brother, a fire started in the house as police tried to get the suspects out. 

"It started at 9:30. They didn’t shoot the tear gas or smoke bombs until about 1:30 2 o’clock. after they did that, the house caught on fire, fire department came and put it out and they said that someone didn’t make it in the basement…," he said.

Neighbors described the situation as unusual for their community. "To hear that in my neighborhood it’s a tough pill to swallow, but I don’t know what to say because around here we are not used to that type of violence…," said Harrold.

Police and investigators remained at the scene Wednesday, April 8, continuing their work on the case.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released information about injuries, arrests or the identities of the suspects. 

It is unclear what caused the fire or if anyone was found in the basement.