The victim was afraid of reprisal.
That’s why, he said, it took two months to report a home invasion to Vernon RCMP.
On Dec. 23, a home invasion occurred at The Strand lakeside resort condos on Okanagan Landing Road in Vernon.
Police say several suspects forced their way inside the residence and restrained the occupant, a 34-year-old Vernon man, and got him to open his safe.
Two handguns were the only items reported stolen.
“We are trying to establish exactly what happened,” said Vernon RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendy, “It was quite evident that the victim was very afraid to come forward.
“He said at first the guns were stolen from a vehicle but that didn’t add up and so we’ve now go to the point where we’ve determined it was a home invasion.”
Because the victim feared reprisal, Molendyk was asked if it was possible he knew the suspects.
“He gave a possible suspect,” said Molendyk. “As what happens in a crime like this, there is that threat, ‘if you go to the police we’ll come back and harm you,’ those kind of things. It’s quite evident this individual felt further reprisal.”
It is unclear, said Molendyk, exactly how many suspects entered the home.
One of the firearms, a .357, was recovered two days later – Christmas Day – on a previous file from the Vernon detachment.
There is a Glock 9-mm handgun still missing.
The Vernon RCMP are requesting anyone with information about this event to contact the their nearest RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
