Halton cops concerned about recent rash of home invasions in Oakville, Milton

A rash of high-profile home invasion robberies in Oakville and Milton this month has Halton police worried.

More than just smash-and-grabs, which are the typical break-ins seen in Halton, a handful of incidents over the last couple of weeks have seen armed men confront occupants in an attempt to steal cash and valuables.

“Most robbers have no desire to confront an occupant,” said Const. Ryan Anderson, media relations officer with the Halton Regional Police Service.

“The more typical break-ins occur early in the morning, looking for car keys to steal a vehicle, or early evening, when the thief is assuming the homeowners aren’t home from work yet.”

He said there are no stats to back up the perceived increase, the 2023 crime report with hard numbers will be released in a few weeks, but anecdotally it seems like there’s a jump.

“This aggressive home invasion style is still fairly uncommon. Our investigators are looking at whether some of the incidents might be connected, but we believe at least one was targeted.”

And the best advice for homeowners?

“Make your home look occupied, even when you’re not home. And in the unlikely event something like this happens to you, remember that property can be replaced, people can’t be. If giving them cash will get them out of your house, then do that, then call police.”

Halton police recommend to people who are concerned about their safety that they look into things like security cameras and timers for lights.