A Lantzville man in his late 80s in Lower Lantzville woke up early Saturday morning to find two strangers in his home in the process of robbing him. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

home invasion

Lantzville senior wakes up to find thieves robbing his house

Mar 13, 2025 | 3:45 PM

LANTZVILLE — A homeowner in his late 80’s was awoken to the sounds of a man and woman outside his bedroom.

It happened on Saturday, March 8 between 5:30 and 6 a.m. at a home located near Lantzville’s village core, said Nanaimo RCMP Res. Cst. Gary O’Brien.

“He hears a noise in his house and he gets up to inspect it, he’s walking out into his hallway and he comes face-to-face with two people who are actually robbing his house.”

The homeowner yelled at the thieves, who dropped items from the home and ran out.

Attempting to call 911 for assistance, the homeowner realized the thieves had cut his home phone line, so he went to a neighbour’s house

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O’Brien said Nanaimo RCMP responded and could not find the two home invaders.

“They’re both believed to be Caucasian,” O’Brien said. “Our forensics officers did attend and didn’t find anything suitable — we think they were wearing gloves at the time.”

The senior doesn’t have a vehicle outside his home, which police believe was pre-scouted by the thieves.

“They actually were kind of shocked to find somebody in the house. We think he wasn’t targeted, but the house was for the fact that it might have been empty,” Cst. O’Brien said, noting the vast majority of break-ins in the Nanaimo area involve unattended dwellings.

The thieves took off with a pellet gun, Coleman stove and three frozen pizzas.

O’Brien said it appeared a crow bar type device was used to bust through the garage and a door to enter the home.

He said it’s believed the thieves would have used a getaway vehicle.

Not much information is known description-wise regarding the suspects, with O’Brien noting the man was reported to be heavy-set.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

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