Saskatoon woman no longer feels safe after encounter with mid-day intruder in her Fairhaven home

A woman who lives in the city's Fairhaven neighbourhood says she had a harrowing experience after finding an intruder in her home Friday afternoon.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said the incident happened early Friday afternoon.

She had just come back in the house after taking the compost out. She was home with her 11-year-old daughter.

“I had just started doing the dishes. I had literally washed one dish and all of a sudden my daughter started yelling ‘Mom, there's somebody in the house. There's somebody in the house.’”

She says she stepped back from the sink and could see a woman who may have been in her 20s.

• Get the CTV News app for Saskatoon area breaking news alerts and top stories 

“This person was already at the top of my stairs. She was staring at me with a blank stare and I immediately started screaming at her to get out that I didn't know who she was,” she says.

“She continued to just blankly stare at me.”

The woman says she managed to get in the middle of the intruder and her daughter.

“I hindered this woman from being able to get past me any further to then get to my daughter. She just continued to stare at me and eventually, she turned and went back down the stairs, put her shoes back on, which blew my mind that she actually took her shoes off, they were just sandals and then she walked out the front door," the woman said.

"She then stood on my driveway and just continued to blankly stare at me and the entire time she never said one word.”

The woman says a neighbour came over and asked her if she knew the woman. The neighbour, who kept an eye on the woman, said they later saw her try to enter two other homes.

The woman reported the incident to police.

Saskatoon Police Service confirmed to CTV News a suspect was arrested in connection with the alleged incident. The suspect was charged with unlawfully entering a dwelling and breach of probation.

The woman says the experience has had a big impact on her daughter.

“She is going to be turning 12 soon and she was wanting to get her babysitting course and to start babysitting and that now has gone completely out the window.”

The woman says the intrusion has taken the feeling of safety away and she believes the incident may be connected to the Saskatoon Tribal Council's Emergency Wellness Centre.

“It's not fair that we cannot be safe in our own homes anymore. I feel that this is a direct impact of the shelter. I've lived in this community for 38 years and I've never experienced anything like that,” she said.

“The activity and the use of drug people on drugs within this community has significantly increased since the opening of the shelter and I don't feel that it belongs in any family community.”

Through a spokesperson, Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand said he was unaware of the incident and did not wish to comment.

According to numbers shared during a recent police board meeting, the number of property crimes in Fairhaven during the first part of 2023 had increased to 71 from 37 in 2022.

Reported assaults were up from 15 to 20 over the same period.

Crime statistics show an increase in the nearby Confederation business area, according to police chief Troy Cooper.

“In the Confederation business area, there has been an increase in property crime as well. Again, primarily thefts,” Cooper told the city's police board earlier this month.

“It went from 92 property crimes from last year to so far 336 this year.”

According to police, officers are spending about 20 hours a day in Fairhaven.

The woman said her family has changed their habits since it happened, particularly with her daughter.

“She no longer is allowed to walk to and from school alone. I mean, this happened in broad daylight 1 p.m. in the afternoon. We're not safe anymore.”

She said she’s heard that situations like this are happening daily in the community.

“I don't know how many have happened because there's a lot of people who won't speak out against it and who won't tell their story but I feel about the community and Fairhaven, Parkridge as well. Everyone needs to be well aware of how fast it can happen. You shouldn't have to lock your door to take your garbage.”