The owner of a Christchurch home where a man posing as a delivery driver forced his way inside today and tied up a husband and wife for three hours has been "targeted" already this year, a source said.

Police are hunting the dangerous, and possibly armed, intruder after the horror home invasion early this morning.

At around 7am, the man - described as Caucasian man, aged between 30-40 years old, and 1.8m tall and of solid build, entered the Patricia Place home in the Christchurch suburb of Harewood.

He has pretended to be a delivery man before getting inside the two-storey brick property, which has a security camera installed out front.

It's understood he tied up a husband and wife and held them captive for some three hours.

At around 10.20am, police say the home invader fled in the victims' blue Toyota Vitz, registration number HFD599.

The couple then called their son, who dialled 111.

As detectives track down the intruder, complaints by the couple’s son, a Christchurch cafe owner, to police have been revealed.

A source, who did not wish to be named, said it appears somebody has it in for the man.

"It's not the first time... somebody is targeting him," the source said.

In the last 12 months, the man's had his car broken into and GPS system stolen.

Later, his house was allegedly burgled in an incident where cash and spare keys to his ute were taken.

Thieves later stole the man's ute from outside his cafe, it's understood.

And now, he appears to have been the target of a home invasion.

The man, it's understood, has no clues as to who is targeting him.

"He's a friendly, cheerful guy - the last person you'd expect to be involved in something like this... but it's escalating."

Curtains were pulled and there was no answer at the property this afternoon.

Locals reported a very quiet area, with very low crime in a place where neighbours look out for each other.

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "We're a very tight knit community."

Another didn't know anything was afoot until coming home late morning and seeing a lot of police activity in the lane.

Police said they rushed the house this morning but could not find the offender or the stolen car.

Now, they are asking for witnesses, or if anyone knows the intruder, to call 111 immediately.

"The victims are understandably shaken but thankfully otherwise uninjured," police said.

They are receiving support from police, Victim Support and other family members.

Police said they have "a number of enquiries underway" and asks that anyone who suspects that they might know "who this man is to do the right thing and come forward".

They refused to answer specific questions this afternoon "while the investigation is in it's early stages."