UPDATE: Residents concerned after violent break and enter in Dartmouth

HALIFAX – A senior remains in hospital following a violent attack during a break and enter in Dartmouth.

Police said the incident happened in the 0 to 100 block of Bontia Drive just after 2:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Two male suspects had forced a door open and broken into the house, according to Staff Sgt. Reid McCoombs with Halifax Regional Police.

When a 75-year-old man who lived there confronted the suspects, he was hit over the head and received injuries to his head and face.

McCoombs said police do not yet know what the victim was struck with.

He adds several firearms were taken from the house, and the suspects fled on foot.

“Absolutely any time someone wakes up and hears noises in their house or an intruder in their house, it’s a very traumatic incident,” said McCoombs.

McCoombs could not release details about the firearms, such as how many were taken or what kinds they were, due to the ongoing investigation.

However, he did say the weapons were legal.

“We’re concerned there’s firearms out on the street. We’ll do a number of steps, like serial numbers, trying to track them down,” he said.

He adds that police are still piecing together why the house was broken into and could not comment on whether the weapons were a motive.

“It’s too early to tell. We don’t know who the suspects are. We can’t draw any kind of conclusions as to whether it is or isn’t random,” McCoombs said.

The incident had some residents, including the victims’ neighbours, concerned.

David and Catherine Shaw, who are in their 70s, have been living beside the victims for more than 15 years.

“I just feel very bad for my good neighbours, for what they must be going through at this time,” Catherine said.

The couple said they did not see or hear anything during the break and enter but add the incident has them nervous about their own house and their normally quiet neighbourhood.

“I have to go around and make sure my house is safe so they don’t break into mine,” said David.

“I just couldn’t believe it could have happened in our neighbourhood because we’ve been here almost 30 years,” said Catherine.

The suspects are described as two white men. One was six feet tall and wearing a black hoodie, jeans and a blue or grey bandana over his face. The other man was slightly shorter and wearing ab lack hoodie and jeans.

The victim was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The man’s wife, who was also home, was not injured.