WATCH: The suspect involved in a violent home invasion in Oak Bay Tuesday morning is still free
And the woman he attacked remains in hospital tonight.
Police say the male suspect attacked the victim with a machete.
As Mary Griffin reports, police are asking for the public’s assistance and are warning residents to be vigilant in keeping themselves safe.
24 hours after a violent home invasion, investigators comb through bushes lining the property.
They’re looking for any trace of the machete an intruder used to attack the female resident of this home.
“Members of the Greater Victoria crowd management unit were on scene today doing a grid-by-grid search looking for evidence.
The forensic identification unit from Saanich also returned to the scene of the crime.
In all dozens of officers from three departments are working on the investigation.
“What are you looking for today?”
“Anything that will help us determine the cause or the motive, or the who, why of this investigation.”
Officers canvass neighbours, and the property remains behind police lines.
“The one with big glass on the front, the Willows Beach side.”
Ron Parfitt and Rob Stasiuk live in the apartment building directly behind the home.
“Definitely shocked.
Definitely.
In this neighbourhood yes, very much so.”
“This is Oak Bay, so you don’t see very much of this.
What you see is people driving by breaking windows of cars, and minor stuff.
Oak Bay mayor’s says he understands why people are concerned.
“It creates a sense of fear in the community that we can have this type of random attack.
One of the officers I spoke to hadn’t seen anything like this in 20 years.”
Neehal and Hasan Alireza bought the house 16 years ago.
But the female victim is not identified.
One woman walking says she won’t let the incident stop her from Willows Beach.
“I live here and come here everyday. And keep myself protected, and keep vigilant.”
Another woman said the crime has made her think about her personal security.
“I must admit I thought twice about my security down here. But then I realized well what is going to happen, and I didn’t want it to control me.”
Police say the suspect is a heavyset male in his 20s.
Wearing a brown jacket, dark pants, baseball cap, and a light blue and white handkerchief around his neck.
The female victim remains in hospital recovering from surgery.
Police are asking anyone with information.
Mary Griffin
