UPDATE: Bond Reduced for Teen Suspect in Home Invasion

Eighteen-year-old Dylan Edward Carswell of Stamford, the single adult suspect arrested for Friday night's home invasion, posted his $500,000 bond, reduced from $1 million, in Stamford Superior Court this morning. His case was continued to Jan. 6.

Police say the four other suspects are youthful offenders. In the state of Connecticut, youthful offender is a status given to a 16 or 17-year-old charged with a crime; some crimes are excluded. Police cannot, by law, release youthful offenders' names or personal information.

The five arrests took place at various locations in Darien and Stamford, throughout the day on Tuesday, Marron said. It was a collaborative effort of the Darien Police Detective Division and the Stamford Police Department. All five suspects were issued an original court date for 10 a.m. today, Dec. 16, for arraignment at Stamford Superior on the following charges:

• Home Invasion, 53a-100a
• Conspiracy To Home Invasion, 53a-48 to 53a-100a
• Burglary 1st Degree, 53a-101
• Conspiracy To Burglary 1st Degree, 53a-48 to 53a-101
• Assault First Degree, 53a-59
• Conspiracy To Assault First Degree, 53a-48 to 53a-59
• Criminal Attempt At Robbery 1st Degree, 53a-49 at 53a-134

Held on $100,000 bond, only three of the four youthful offenders spent the night down at the station on Hecker Avenue, said Marron. The fourth posted a reduced $10,000 bond and recieved a new court date.

The fifth suspect, 18-year-old Carswell of 163 Prudence Drive Stamford, was considered a "flight risk;" he was held in custody on a $1 million bond. He posted a reduced $500,000 bond this morning.

The initial home invasion report came in as this:

Police responded to 22 Bailey Ave. after an 18-year-old woman called police just before midnight and reported a home invasion. She said that she had heard noises at the upstairs apartment, and, thinking it was a family member, opened the door. Three men rushed into the home; one accosted the female, holding his hand over her mouth. The teenager's father confronted the intruders, and in a physical altercation was struck in the head with a "makeshift type club." By the time police arrived, the three men had fled by foot and were last seen heading toward West Avenue near the train station.

But the investigation took a different turn, Marron said. There are now five suspects charged for the home invasion.

"Some people just can't keep their mouth shut," said Marron.

Police say it does not seem anything was taken from the residence, but there's now the added charge of criminal attempt at robbery.

"They were after a large sum of money and a large amount of narcotics," said Marron.

While Marron said the 18-year-old is somehow connected to the suspects, neither she nor her father is a suspect.

"What's important is that this is not a random thing. We don't want everyone to be scared; at the same time, the days of leaving your home unlocked, your car unlocked, they're over," Marron said.

Lt. Donald Anderson said that home invasions in Darien, while few and far between, do happen. He noted last September's botched drug deal involving the son of former Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy, which was first reported as a home invasion on Old Kings Highway North.

Marron said he does not know if the suspects have a criminal history.