Another home invasion was committed involving young people who, police quickly discover, know each other.
The latest incident happened Monday, half an hour before midnight, in the 1100 block of Cuddie Crescent.
"Three males kicked the door of the residence off it's hinges and entered," said Prince George RCMP spokesman Gary Godwin. "One male was swinging a machete and subsequently cut one of the male occupants on the forearm, causing him to seek medical attention."
The injured male survived and the main aggressor was arrested. A 17-year-old has been charged with four offences.
"The other two males allegedly involved are also youths and were not involved in the assault. No charges are contemplated against them," said Godwin.
This is the third time in the past three weeks that thugs have forced their way into someone's home, and the fifth time since the start of the year.
"Joe Citizen doesn't need to worry about getting the front door kicked in. Targetted is certainly better than random, from the general public's point of view, and these are definitely targeted," said Cpl. Craig Douglass, media relations officer for the Prince George Mounties.
He said the term "home invasion" means someone's home has been breached, but unlike the crime of years past where affluent home owners are invaded, the victims these days are usually known to attackers who are after something in particular.
In Prince George, the home invaders might be trying to steal money, drugs or valuables, or they might be trying to do violence to someone inside.
"If you want a general overview, not specific to any one case, it comes down to desperate people," said Douglass. "Typically, someone's first crime is not a home invasion; they always have a history of criminal activity. It is usually someone known to us and someone with an addiction problem. In some cases you get a back-and-forth, with a conflict in one place then the victim tries to take revenge and invades the home of the assailant some time later."
In addition to Monday's incident, police are still investigating an April 25 home invasion on Nation Crescent in which four people were arrested. Also, an April 15 home invasion on Milburn Street caused two people to be hospitalized while one attacker was arrested and another, Allan Andrew Squires, 18, is still at large and wanted by police.
Douglass said police "are an intelligence-led organization" so information they have obtained has allowed local Mounties to intervene on situations before they become home invasions, but "we are not able to prevent every incident."
They try to monitor prolific home invaders more than others because, said Douglass, "if they are successful at it, they will continue to use it, so we want to minimize anyone getting a taste for it."
He called on more public information, especially related to the drug trade and property crime.
