Palm Springs Home Invasion Robbery, Homeowners Attacked
PALM SPRINGS - The investigation continues Monday into a home invasion robbery that ended in the stabbing of one of the residents.
According to the Palm Springs Police Department, the home invasion robbery happened Saturday shortly before 5 p.m. when police received a 911 call from the home located on the 1800 block of Via Isla.
Officers say the homeowners a 75 year old man had been stabbed and kicked and a 64 year old woman had been physically assaulted by the robber.
"Officers learned that the male victim had returned from a walk into his open garage when the suspect, later identified as Justin Scarff, attacked him with a knife," said police.
Scarff attacked the homeowners and took property from the home said police.
According to the Palm Springs Police Department, began receiving calls from nearby residents who were reporting that the suspect was running through the neighborhood.
Police began searching the location for the suspect and found property taken during the robbery.
At 5:35 p.m., Palm Springs Police Dispatch sent out alerts via the Code Red and Nixle Emergency Notification Systems.
A Code Red subscriber, called police at 6:07 p.m., to report that the suspect had boarded a SunLine Bus in Palm Springs and was traveling on the bus through Cathedral City.
Police arrested Scarff on the bus near the intersection of Date Palm Drive and Highway 111 at 6:15 p.m.
Both residents attacked in the home invasion robbery were taken to the hospital. The male victim sustained moderate injuries and was released from the hospital the following day.
The female victim also sustained moderate injuries but was treated and released at the scene.
Police say Scarff was a stranger to both victims.
Scarff has since been transferred to the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.
His bail was set at $1,000,000 and he also has a no bail parole hold. He is scheduled to be arraigned on March, 21st, 2012. Scarff, who listed a home address in Indio, was arrested for several felonies including:
664/187 (a) P.C. Attempt Murder
212.5 (a) P.C. First Degree Robbery
207(a) P.C. Kidnapping
368(b)(2)(B) P.C. Elder Abuse
203 P.C. Mayhem
236 P.C. False Imprisonment
245(a)(1) P.C. Assault with a Deadly Weapon
3056 P.C. Parole Violation.
Code Red and Nixle are powerful mass notification systems that are used to send emergency information and instructions to anyone who lives or works in the City of Palm Springs.
The Palm Springs Police Department sends messages to phone numbers included in the emergency 911 and 411 directory listings.
For further information, visit www.pspd.com and click on either the Code Red or Nixle links.





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