Terminally ill cancer patient attacked in 'horrific' home invasion; suspects still at large

UPDATE, Fri. Oct. 26, 4 p.m. PT: Sicamous RCMPhave located the stolen vehicle but say the suspects remain at large.

Three suspects who put a woman,terminally ill with cancer, through a harrowing ordealinSicamous, B.C., are still at large.

Police saidtwo men armed with handguns had forced their way into the 59-year-old woman's home just before 6:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday. Officers believe a female accomplicestayed outside.

The two men allegedly bound and assaulted the victim inside the home.The woman told police she was held at gunpoint and kicked in the face. She suffered a fractured nose and was airlifted to hospital to be treated for her injuries.

The suspects took two small safes, as well as jewleryand prescription drugs, before fleeing in a stolen white 2003 Ford F-350truck.

Police said the truck had been stolen earlier that day from Armstrong, B.C. The Dually truck is a distinctvehicle with special markings. It has a B.C. licence plate DN 5358 with a rack in the box with orange clearance lights.

Not a random attack

Police saidthey do not believe the attackwas random.

RCMPCpl. Dan Moskalukcalled it a particularly disturbing crime.

"Given that this woman is terminally ill and then faces this first thing in the morning, it just makes this more of a horrific crime or horrific incident for somebody to endure," he said.

They saidVernon's RCMP Police Dog Service along with Southeast District Air Services have been searching for the suspects. The truck is also still missing.

Police saidthe suspects are considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who seesthe vehicle or its occupants are asked to stay back anddial 911 immediately.

Anyone with information is asked tocall theSicamous RCMP at 250-836-2878 or send in a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppersat 1-800-222-8477.

Sicamous, in B.C.'s Shuswap region, is about halfway between Calgary and Vancouver.