Suspects at large after senior interrupts home invasion near Nanaimo, B.C.

A beach in Lantzville, B.C., is seen in this undated file photo. (Shutterstock.com)

Mounties say two suspects remain at large following a brazen home invasion on Vancouver Island.

A homeowner in his late 80s awoke around 5:30 a.m. on March 8 when he heard noises inside his Lantzville home, the Nanaimo RCMP said in a statement Thursday.

“When he got up to investigate, he ran into an adult man and woman outside his bedroom,” the statement said.

The man yelled at the intruders, who “immediately dropped what they were carrying then turned and ran from the house,” Const. Gary O’Brien said in the statement.

The homeowner told police it appeared the suspects did not think anyone was home at the time of the break-in, O’Brien said.

Phone line ‘tampered with’

When the Lantzville resident tried to phone police from his home phone, he found it was not working, according to the statement.

“It was later determined that the phone line had been tampered with,” police said.

The homeowner went to his neighbour’s home, where the incident was reported to police.

Officers attended the scene and patrolled the area but the suspects have not been located.

Investigators say the thieves used a pry bar to enter the home’s garage. Once inside, they stole a portable Coleman camp stove, three frozen pizzas and a black pellet gun, police said.

“Limited description of the suspects was provided other than the man was heavy set,” the Nanaimo RCMP said.

Anyone with information about the break-in is asked to contact the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.