Police investigate Adelaide Gulfview Heights home invasion

Police are investigating a possible gang link in a brutal early morning home invasion that left a woman and man in hospital with stab wounds.

The attack happened in Gulfview Heights in Adelaide’s northeast about 3.45am on Wednesday.

A 53-year-old woman and 17-year-old boy were inside a home when they were assaulted by a group of armed males, the police said.

SA Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval, addressing the incident on Wednesday afternoon, said four men “entered the house using force” and “immediately slashed at and stabbed a man inside the house”.

“A second victim, a woman who was resident, then confronted the group and was also attacked using edged weapons,” he said.

“A third person, a man who was also an occupant of the house, chased the offenders and a further altercation occurred outside.”

Paramedics took all three occupants of the home to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

“It is believed one of the suspects may have suffered back and leg injuries during the altercation outside,” Mr Duval said.

“The condition of the injured subject are not known.”

The suspects are described as men with slim builds aged in their late teens to early 20s.

“Police believe this is a targeted attack and there is no imminent risk to the public,” Mr Duval said.

CCTV footage from the street captures four people attending the address in the early morning, with torchlights appearing to flash through the darkness.

The assailants can later be seen running back into a waiting car, described by police as a “dark coloured sedan”.

The police believe the offenders and occupants of the home are known to each other.

Mr Duval said the investigation would look into whether the break-in was connected to Operation Meld, which is tasked with suppressing crime and conflict between rival youth gangs.

In the past week, Operation Meld has arrested eight teenagers and two men for various offences.

“It is our aim to continue to put considerable pressure on these gang members and their associates to disrupt their criminal activity,” Mr Duval said.

Adelaide has been hit with a string of disturbing home invasions in the past few weeks.

On September 26, the police were called to a home in Eyre in Adelaide’s outer north on reports three people armed with machetes had forced their way inside and assaulted a 16-year-old occupant of the home.

The victim sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and paramedics took him to hospital for treatment.

On September 29, a group of armed men forced their way into a home in Kilburn in Adelaide’s north at 1.30am and threatened the occupants with machetes.

“The group damaged windows and doors inside the home before leaving,” the police said.

“They also caused extensive damage to three cars in the driveway.”

Mr Duval said an apparent rise in edged weapons on the streets was “certainly concerning”.

“The propensity for that type of violence, is the reason we are committing so many resources to finding these people and holding them account for their actions,” he said.

“We will hold people to account for their actions.”