Catherine Barr Contributing Writer WEST Vancouver is get- ting a modified traffic barrier along Park Royal’s main strip. 4 $198,000 barri designed by Aplin and Martin Consuseants Lid, will run dong the centre median on Marine Drive between Taylor Wav and Pound Road. Phe barrier will include dense bush and a decorative dluminuny sailing. It has been approved by council and is being installed to prevent peo- ple from jaywalkiag. The project could see con struction as early as May 1999. Park Royal = Shopping Centre Ld. has agreed to foot $120,000 of the associated costs and to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the medi- an. The deal comes as part of an earlier landscaping commit- ment made by the company back in 1996, during the last major mall expansion. The dis- trict will pay the balance of the cost. Last year, independent traf: fic consultants Reid Crowther and Partners Ltd. identitied this section of roadway as being dengerous, The consul- tants recommended that a bar- rier be installed to thwart the numerous shoppers found j walking across the four to six- lane stretch of road. According to designers, substantial excavation will have pw take place on the median. Most of the existing plants w be removed, In their place will be a four-feethigh 61.2m) omamental mini-arch railing and a series of spaced oak tr These will be installed planted anvidst a wide, ( 2.1m) two-feet high ( FIRE-jumping cleanses the spir' See Thorny paae 4 NEWS photo Julie Iverson Leap of faith 's and brings good health, according to Persian fore. Many members of the North Shore Iranian community gathered at Ambleside Tuesday night to leap into the new year. Theits persist at Anna Marie O’Angeto News Reporter dangclo@nsnews.com ELDERLY sick women and female visi- tors at Lions Gate Hospital (LGH) co tinue to be the targets of thieves. North Vancouver ROMP Const. Heidi Hottma: said that oa March 4.4 padient’s wite on the hos rls fifth floor had her purse stolen tron a bedside table. One hour later, an elderly woman who just had major knee surgery was befriended by a nian near the hospital. “The senior had just shopped at the Sateway store at 1 3th and Lonsdale. She was in pain and timp ing. Police said the man helped her walk home wo blocks awa he senior allowed the mar into her home. Her pocket book and keys were gone afier fie left. “We are not sure if it’s the same suspeet in these cases,” said Hoftinan. last September, 78-year-old Margaret: Thornley was the victim of'acoa man as she lay in her palliative care bed at 1LGH. The man came into Phornley’s hospital roam and said he had to fix a jammed door on a cupboard. The cupboard contained Thornley’s purse. A little while later Thornley received a call trom the phone beside Elderly women are favoured targets of thieves and con artists her hospital bed. The caller said he was with the Roval Bank. ‘There was an emergency and he needed Thornley’s PEN (personal identification numbers for her ATM card. A medicated Thornley gave the man her PIN, The thief was able te withdraw 5 1,000. tabout the same tine, another elderly patient was duped ov the same con, That patignt was able to treeze her bank account fore any mone hen. Asuspeet was identified in the Tho! aveteran North Vancouver Mounti man ausing Thornley’s cant in an APM surveillance picture. Phe suspect has an extensive criminal history in) North Vancouver. Thornley died last fall. No charges went to court in the case as the witness had died. Meanwhile in late January, North Vancouver resi- dent Hilda Galvin had her purse stolen from the drawer next to her LGH bed. Galvin, 72. was in hos- pital after suffering a mild heare attack, “Sts kind of funny chat while you are sleeping eV Case after identified the ospital there, they are stealing vour purse... P never dreanit anyone would do thatin the hospital,” said Galvin, Galvin was unaware that her purse was stolen until it Was time to go heme trom hospital, Phere was ao inthe purse, but it did contain keys. nile my family was visiting me (in hospital) he broke into our home,” said Galvin, Bineculars and about S300) worth of Galvin’s grandchildren’s videos were stolen. Galvin said her sen had te stay with her while new Jocks were installed. She said it took weeks to get her identitic tien replaced. “You don"t need that when you come home tron hospital,” she said. The North Vancouver ROMP burglary section provided the tollowing fist of purse and iewelry thetis which have occurred since hist Octok: B Oct. 28: a woman's diamond ring was stolen a locker room when the victiny was in rehabilitation; 2:4 purse was stolen in the medical day cen- tre; @ Dee. Lo: a gold neeklace was taken from a woman's coat while she was in nuclear medicine: B Dee. 17:4 purse was stolen from a hospital room; wvelry was stolen trom a bedside table in a hospital room, Hoffman cautions hospital patients and visitors to not to leave valuables unattended. Hoffman reminds the public to never reveal PINS. Fake guns seized THREE teens are facing weapon charges after they were spotted carrying handguns while walking down Taylor Way towards ine Drive on March 15. West Vancouver Police Sgt. Jim Almas said the trio, all age 14, were stopped by a police officer in front of the CIBC in Park Royal Shopping Centre’s south mall. Three imitation hand- guns were seized. The guns were pellet guns. They said they were carrying them for protec- tion,” said Almas. ‘fwo of the teenagers lived in West Vancouver. The third teenager was North Vancouver resident. Charges are pending against the teens for pos- sessing imitation weapons and carrying concealed weapons. The youths’ names will not be released as they will be charged under the Young Offenders Act. nua Marie D'Angelo Couple robbed A West Vancouver couple was robbed at gunpoint on Tuesday outside the Park Royal Hotel. A 74-year-old man and his 80-year-old wite had finished dinner and were about te leave in their when they were confronted by the robber, according to West Vancouver Police Sgt. Jim Almas, Almas d the suspect pointed a handgun at the woman. The weman’s hu band backed up the car : the gun was pointed. Almas r scraped the side do Ferrari: before into another packed car, The robber ran off with the man’s wallet and keys was deseribed as being Caucasian with dark- framed glasses. Anna Marie D'Angelo Man hurt in chase A 27-year old North Vancouver man with three outstanding warrants was captured by North Van RCMP early Wednesday morning after jumping over a 60-foor (18.3m) embank- ment near McKay and 17th Avenue. The man had been involved in an altercation outside the Avalon Hotel after the bar closed at around 2 a.m. He is believed to have sustained a broken neck.