Police in York Region have released shocking video of a failed home invasion in Vaughan in the early morning hours of Aug. 31.
In the doorbell camera footage, which was shown during a broader news conference on several recent violent incidents in the region, three people are seen approaching the front porch of a house near Major Mackenzie Drive and Highway 27. York Regional Police said they were called to that area at around 2:20 a.m. for reports of a home invasion in progress.
The video then appears to show one of the suspects holding a handgun and using the butt of that weapon to strike a small window around the home’s front door. He eventually succeeds in breaking the glass and is seen reaching inside to unlock it.
At this time, the home’s occupants can be heard loudly screaming for the intruders to “get out of here” moments before they’re seen entering the dwelling. Police say that there were two adults and two children, ages six and nine, in the home at that time.
None of the residents sustained any physical injuries.
The three suspects are seen running out of the house seconds later. They fled the area in a dark-coloured sport utility vehicle after the security alarm was triggered, police said.
Det. Const. Ryan Boulay said they all fled to an awaiting vehicle being operated by a fourth suspect.
“We believe that vehicle be to be a dark-colored SUV, possibly a Ford Edge,” he said.
Investigators added that nothing was taken and no one was injured.
York Regional Police’s Hold-Up Unit is appealing for witnesses to help identify the three suspects, whom they said were all wearing dark clothing and face coverings.
The first suspect is described as a male, armed with a handgun, who was last seen wearing a Nike tech hoodie, Nike track pants, and gloves.
The second suspect is also a male, who was last seen wearing all-black clothing, a balaclava, and gloves, while the third is only described as a male who was last seen wearing a hoodie, track pants, and gloves.
This incident occurred about 90 minutes after another home invasion in the same Kleinberg neighbourhood that claimed the life of Aleem Farooqi, a 46-year-old father of four.
“While the two incidents have not been formally linked, investigators are reviewing the evidence for possible connections,” Fiore said during a news conference earlier on Wednesday.
