Terminally ill cancer patient attacked in 'horrific' home invasion; suspects still at large
59-year-old was airlifted to hospital due to her injuries
UPDATE, Fri. Oct. 26, 4 p.m. PT: Sicamous RCMP have located the stolen vehicle but say the suspects remain at large.
Three suspects who put a woman, terminally ill with cancer, through a harrowing ordeal in Sicamous, B.C., are still at large.
Police said two men armed with handguns had forced their way into the 59-year-old woman's home just before 6:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday. Officers believe a female accomplice stayed outside.
The two men allegedly bound and assaulted the victim inside the home. The woman told police she was held at gunpoint and kicked in the face. She suffered a fractured nose and was airlifted to hospital to be treated for her injuries.
The suspects took two small safes, as well as jewlery and prescription drugs, before fleeing in a stolen white 2003 Ford F-350 truck.
Police said the truck had been stolen earlier that day from Armstrong, B.C. The Dually truck is a distinct vehicle with special markings. It has a B.C. licence plate DN 5358 with a rack in the box with orange clearance lights.
Not a random attack
Police said they do not believe the attack was random.
RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk called it a particularly disturbing crime.
"Given that this woman is terminally ill and then faces this first thing in the morning, it just makes this more of a horrific crime or horrific incident for somebody to endure," he said.
They said Vernon's RCMP Police Dog Service along with Southeast District Air Services have been searching for the suspects. The truck is also still missing.
Police said the suspects are considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who sees the vehicle or its occupants are asked to stay back and dial 911 immediately.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sicamous RCMP at 250-836-2878 or send in a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Sicamous, in B.C.'s Shuswap region, is about halfway between Calgary and Vancouver.