Young suspects sought in Vancouver Westside home invasions

Vancouver Police are investigating a pair of home invasions that occurred two weeks apart at a residence located in the Westside neighbourhood.

The first incident happened at a home on the 3700 block of West 26th Avenue on March 2 at approximately 12:30 p.m. when a man opened the front door after hearing a knock.

Three men entered, including one individual armed with a gun, and demanded to see a tenant who was not home at the time. In lieu of confronting the tenant, they rummaged through the property and ordered the resident to turn over his valuables before fleeing the area in a red Acura.

On March 16, another incident occurred at the same home just before 5 p.m. involving two men with knives. They barged their way into the residence after the front door was opened by the tenant, who was tied up and forced to turn over any valuables. They then fled the residence and got into a vehicle described as a grey minivan or sport utility vehicle.

Police say the suspects in both home invasions were a mix of white and darker-skinned males in their late teens or early 20s. They were around 6 feet tall and wearing dark-coloured clothing at the time.

“These men mistakenly believe that a tenant in this home has significant wealth and they are putting people’s lives at risk in an attempt to steal what isn’t there,” reads a statement by VPD spokesperson Sergeant Randy Fincham. “As a result of these robberies, police are increasing patrols in the area.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the VPD Major Crime section at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers (anonymous hotline) at 1-800-222-8477.