Nanaimo senior ‘no worse for wear’ after fighting off masked man, say Mounties

Nanaimo RCMP say a woman in her late 70’s confronted a masked man in her home on Jan. 8.

According to police, she had gone outside to close the front gate of her home at around 8 p.m. and when she went back inside, a man wearing a balaclava pushed her into a nearby bedroom and demanded her purse.

Instead of simply handing it over, they say she got into a shoving match with the suspect, then fled to her neighbours home to call 9-1-1, leaving the would-be thief empty-handed.

Officers arrived on scene minutes later, but couldn’t locate the suspect.

Const. Gary O’Brien says, “she had some bumps and bruises but given what she had been through, she was no worse for wear.”

Nanaimo RCMP Victim Services have reached out to the senior and are assisting her.

The suspect is described as being 5’5″ tall with a slim build, and was wearing dark clothing and a dark balaclava.

Police say it’s not the first incident to have happened at the home in the past week. Two days earlier the homeowner reported that her jewellery box had been emptied and moved to another room.

Among the things missing were her wedding rings, cash, and her debit card.

No suspect has been identified in either case.

Anybody with any information is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP, or if they wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.