A group of masked suspects forced their way into a Barrie home armed with an assault rifle, machete, and homemade pepper spray.
Barrie police say the three men and one woman were part of a home invasion at a residence on Canary Reed Court early Tuesday morning. Police say the group was looking for a resident, who wasn’t home at the time.
One person was home, but wasn’t injured.
The suspects were gone before police arrived. An officer later spotted a vehicle matching the description of the getaway car in the area of Grove Street East, near Johnston Street.
According to police, the suspects ran a stop light at Nelson Street and continued towards Georgian Fields. As the getaway car entered the parking lot at Georgian Fields, it collided with a snowbank.
All four suspects then fled on foot, but the three men were chased down by a K9 unit not far from the parking lot. The woman was arrested at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.
A loaded semi-automatic assault rifle with a folding stock, a pellet handgun, machete, bear spray and homemade pepper spray were found inside the vehicle.
A 23-year-old man, a 24-year-old man, a 26-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man, all from Barrie, now face a combined 62 charges. This includes robbery using a firearm, disguise with intent, careless use of a firearm and forcible confinement.
All four suspects appeared in court on Wednesday morning.
Police believe this was a targeted incident and that the suspects and victim know each other.
