NEWS RELEASE
BARRIE POLICE SERVICE
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On Tuesday, March 20 2018 at 8:55 a.m., Barrie Police Service received a call from a third party reporting a possible home invasion occurring in the south end of Barrie. Officers attended a residence on Canary Reed Court in the City of Barrie, and learned four suspects wearing masks and armed with weapons had (allegedly) forced their way in the house shortly after 4 a.m. The three males and one female told the lone victim they were looking for one of the residents who was not in the house at the time. They reportedly left the residence in a vehicle traveling in an unknown direction before officers arrived on scene.
At 9:30 a.m. an officer spotted a vehicle with four occupants inside matching the description of the getaway car in the area of Grove Street East approaching Johnston Street, in the City of Barrie. A traffic stop was attempted and the vehicle refused to stop, (allegedly) running a red light on Nelson Street at Grove Street East. The vehicle continued until it collided into a snowbank at the end of Nelson Street in the Georgian Fields parking lot.
All four occupants exited the vehicle and fled on foot in different directions with officers and K9 on their heels. The three males were arrested within Georgian Fields by two K9s and officers on foot moments after fleeing the vehicle. The female was met by an officer at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre as she exited the bush area towards Georgian Drive and tried to evade police amongst the commotion at the hospital.
A 27-year-old male, 23-year-old male, 24-year-old male and 26-year-old female, all from Barrie have been charged with the following charges:
- Forcible entry
- Wear disguise with intent
- Robbery using firearm
- Firearm - use while committing offence
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Pointing a firearm
- Possession of weapon for a dangerous purpose
- Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted weapon
- Carry concealed weapon
- Careless use of firearm
- Possession of prohibited or restricted firearm or weapon
- Using firearm in the commission of offence
- Forcible confinement
- Occupant of motor vehicle knowing there was firearm
The driver of the vehicle, the 27-year-old male, was also charged with:
- Flight from police
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
The 27-year-old male, 24-year-old male and 26-year-old female were all previously on firearm prohibitions and were subsequently charged with two counts each of possession of firearm contrary to prohibition order.
Seized from the vehicle was the following:
- Machete
- Loaded folding stock, semi-automatic assault rifle
- Pellet replica handgun
- Bear spray
- Homemade pepper spray
All four parties were held overnight at the Barrie Police Service to attend bail court on Wednesday morning. It is believed this incident was targeted and that the parties were known to each other prior to the home invasion.
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