A man is recovering in hospital with severe facial burns after being set on fire during a home invasion east of Perth.
Key points:
- Police say the man was dragged with methyl alcohol and set on fire
- He is being treated in a burn room and is in stable condition
- Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers
Police say three gunmen broke into the Petilia Court home in High Wycombe around 9:40 p.m. Friday and stole four weapons.
Detective Sergeant Tania Mackenzie said police believe the men pointed at the house because they knew there was a safe inside.
“To get the guns, one of the males has been sprayed with what we believe to be methylated spirits … and in the end has been set on fire,” he said.
He said the criminals poured the spirit on the face of the 52-year-old victim to get him to open the safe, which he did, but then one of the criminals set him on fire anyway.
Forensic officers searched the home for clues as to the identity of the home invaders. (Evening News)
The attack was “horrible” and “cheeky”
Detective Sergeant Mackenzie described the incident as “horrible.”
“To think that someone is ready to use an accelerator to get what came first only shows the brazenness of these criminals.
“It looks like they set fire to the person once they had the guns.”
The man is in stable condition in the burn unit of Fiona Stanely Hospital.
Police are appealing to anyone with information to contact them. (Evening News)
“[He is] still very shocked, and at one point he was wondering why they pointed him out, how they pointed him out, “Detective Mackenzie said.
Police said he was a registered gun owner.
Another person at home was also threatened.
The stolen guns have been described as target guns, used in a club setting, and police believe their presence in the house would not have been widely known.
The three criminals have been described as dark-skinned Caucasian men leaving the scene in a dark vehicle.
Police say they stole other items along with the guns.
Police were investigating the area by CCTV and have appealed to the public who saw something suspicious so that they could contact them.
Posted 1 hour 1 hour ago Sat. May 28, 2022 at 7:53 am, updated 1 hour 1 hour agoDiss. May 28, 2022 at 8:02 AM