Five men invaded a west Ottawa home early Monday morning, injured an 18-year-old pregnant woman and demanded money from the family.

At about midnight, the five suspects entered a home on Poulin Avenue in the neighbourhood of Brittania. Police said they carried a shotgun and two handguns.

"The males were wearing bandanas and balaclavas so we're not certain who they are at this time other than that they're in their late teens, early twenties, all males possibly of Arabic descent," Sgt. Don Sweet told CTV Ottawa.

The men struck the pregnant woman in the face with the butt of a gun before fleeing the home. She sustained minor injuries to her lip and was treated on scene by paramedics.

The young woman and her boyfriend told CTV Ottawa that they had moved in with the girl's mother to save money for the new baby. When the robbers demanded some of the saved cash, the mother-to-be stayed calm and refused to hand it over. The family told CTV Ottawa that they did not recognize the men and they do not think they are from the area.

Residents who do live in the neighbourhood are shocked.

Cliff Richards did not expect police to pull him over on his way home early Monday morning. Richards has definitely noticed, however, an increase of crime in his neighbourhood.

"In the last year things are starting to pick up in Brittania in a bad way," he said.

Earlier this summer, the body of 39-year-old Pamela Kosmack was recovered from a wooded area nearby. The mother of two was found dead near a bike path close to Brittania Road and Howe Street on June 4.

Olga Palmer has lived in Brittania for about 13 years and said she always felt safe, until recently.

"It shocks me really, situations like this we don't need in our neighbourhood. It makes me feel very uncomfortable," Palmer told CTV Ottawa.

Ottawa police say they receive similar calls from most Ottawa neighbourhoods, but that they do visit this area more often than others.

Anyone with information related to the crime is asked to call the Ottawa Police Robbery Unit at 613-236-1222 ext. 5116 or call Crime Stoppers at 613-233-TIPS (8477).

With a report from CTV's Maggie Padlewska