Man injured, assault rifle taken in home invasion

LACONIA — An 80-year-old man was injured during a home-invasion theft in which firearms, including an assault rifle, were taken.

The break-in occurred Friday, shortly before 3:30 p.m. at a residence at 36 Tyler St., near the corner of Batchelder Street.

Police Chief Matt Canfield said several firearms, including an AK-47 assault rifle were taken. An 80-year-old man, who was alone in the house at the time, was injured.

Canfield described the victim’s injuries as minor. He did not go to the hospital to be examined or treated, the chief said.

Investigators are working to piece together details surrounding the crime, Canfield said. They are unsure how many people broke into the house, but Canfield said it could have been two or three people.

Firearms were the only thing taken, he said.

The victim’s grandson returned to the house not long after the attack and called police, the chief said.

“We do not think it was random,” said Canfield, adding it appears the assailants had prior knowledge that there were firearms in the house. Because the investigation is ongoing, he declined to say how many firearms were taken.

“We have a couple of people of interest that we want to talk to,” Canfield said, “but they are not considered suspects.”

Canfield said the victim lives in the residence with his daughter.

The victim’s daughter-in-law said Tuesday that her father-in-law suffers from dementia and “he’s not able to take the whole thing in. He’s settled down some, but Friday, he was really shaken up," she said.

"We know that whoever did this knew the home, they knew the home and knew exactly what rooms to go to," she said.

The firearms that were stolen belonged to two adult men who also live in the house, she said.