Police are investigating a pair of Westside home invasions that have left residents concerned for their safety.

Over the past few weeks, the same Westside home has been the target of two home invasions where suspects have not located their intended mark, but still victimized other residents.

The first home invasion happened on March 2nd around 12:30 p.m., when a man heard a knock at the front door of his home located in the 3700 block of West 26th Avenue. He was greeted by three men, one armed with a gun. The robbers demanded to see a tenant who was not home at the time and ordered the resident to turn over his valuables. The suspects then rummaged through the home stealing whatever they could find. They loaded their score into a red Acura and fled the area.

The second incident happened on March 16th shortly before 5 p.m., when two men with knives forced their way into the same home. Again, the intended target was not home and the tenant who opened the door was bound and forced to turn over any valuables. The two suspects fled out the back of the residence and escaped in a grey minivan or sport utility vehicle.

The suspects in both cases were described as being a mix of white and darker-skinned men in their late teens or early 20s, around 6 feet tall, and were wearing dark-coloured clothing.

“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,” says 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 at 1 (800) 222-8477.