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Two men arrested in home invasion robbery

A sheriff's official reminds residents to "lock your doors - even when you're home."

By JACOB H. FRIES
Published January 25, 2007

LARGO - The intruders didn't want Gerald Sevenski to see their faces, authorities said.

The two men slipped through his front door, which was unlocked, and found Sevenski napping in the living room, sheriff's Sgt. Jim Bordner said. They stood over him, then covered his face with a cloth.

Sevenski awoke and began to struggle. The men shocked him on the chest with a stun gun.

The electric pulse burned Sevenski's flesh, but it didn't stop the 52-year-old from fighting back, Bordner said. Sevenski pulled the cloth off his face and recognized one of the men as a friend of a neighbor.

Sevenski shouted and the men ran away, Bordner said. Only later did Sevenski realize the men had gotten what they came for: the prescription medication in his pants pocket, he said.

Devon M. Makowski and Michael J. Kowalski, both 19, were arrested Tuesday in connection with the Jan. 8 home invasion robbery. Both admitted their involvement, Bordner said.

Makowski remained in the Pinellas County Jail on Wednesday in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Kowalski was being held on $100,000 bail. Neither had been arrested before, county records show.

"Most people feel very secure in their homes, but this case illustrates the need to lock your doors - even when you're home," Bordner said.

Sevenski, who lives on 113th Avenue, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Jacob H. Fries can be reached at 445-4156 or jfries@sptimes.com.

[Last modified January 24, 2007, 22:53:38]