new sci-fi show being shot locally. Star dogs YOBY and Tango appear to have made an inter-dimensiona! trip through the Stargate, a TV prop that materialized recently in a North Vancouver forest. Stargate is a Crash-and-enter theft Bicycies stolen; reward offered By fan Noble News Reporter A North Vancouver merchant is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of $11,500 worth of bicy- cles. The offer comes after a bold thief smashed a truck through othe windows of Bievele Sports Pacific on Mountain Highway Sunday morning, at approximately 5 am. RCMP spokesman Seaman said pol ¢ alert: ed to the break-in through the store’s alarm company. Wirne including one person who lives above the store, said a stumbling man, who looked as if he was drunk, backed a truck into the door, said Seaman. The truck, he said. matches the desenpuion of a track that had been stolen from a nearby residence during the same night. Tom Store owner Michael Theil said the impact of the truck caused extensive damage co the 30- toot wide (nine metre wide) storefront Hialt dhe storefront and ite brick, glass, door and door frame were damaged, he said. The store’s front counter was pushed back ht feet into the store and the counter glass was smashed The thief grabbed five mountain bikes and tled Theil tallied up the losses from the break-in: §20,000 or more tor the truck, $10,000 to NEWS photc Terry Peters BIKE shop owner Michael Theil stands behind a $1,000 reward following = they've got a record as long 3 a morning robbery at his Mountain Highway store. $15,000 damage to the store, and SEEA00 in stolen bikes. Fle figures the thief may wet $3,000 for his troubles “Vhev just don't care,” said Theil.” front of witnesses; it’s pretty amazing. Theil added he’s aot happy that the response time for podice te arrive at the crime scene was seven Co cight minutes, Seaman sad the North Vancouver ROMP had FO ROMP carson the road at drat time. The aftticers could have been in Deep Cove when s received che call, said Seaman. “Phere’s abvavs a bitota time delay bur any: time there is a residential or a burglary alarm it isa priority call,” said Seaman. Theil said his store has window, motion and door detectors and bars behind the windows, “He's getang absurd the measures vou have to RA Rt iake,” he said. He's naw putting up acon- crete barrier in front of the store. “The bars useless if someone wants to drive a truck through the window,” he said, adding the brazen break-in was the first at the bike store in eight years. His downtown b store has been a target of thieves six times, but crooks have not always been successful. Sunday's theft had) Theil wondering why it happened. “Ewould bet that the pi son that did this has done this before and has probably been arrested before, We've had break-ins at our downtown store and the people have been caught and when they are caught the police tell us your arm,” said the long-time North Vancouver resident, “Why are they out there doing this if chey've got such a long record?” caman agreed that most people who per- form break and enters are well-versed in the offence. and most have prior convictions. Theil said the smash-the-steretront: method of bievele thett is apparently a new trend. A week previous, a Vancouver bike store was robbed under the same set of circhanstances, with a stolen car, said Theil. Seaman said the robberies tar bake pitee after acar is driven through a storefront are sai common on the North Shore. but are not unknown Last vear thie North Vancouver and made ott wii thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Seaman said charges have not been baid in that robbery, NEWS photo Terry Peters Nick’s pub licence bid shot down By Robert Gatster News Reporter AT an age when most are considering retirement, North Vancouver’s Nick Vavaris is still experienc- ing the challenges usually reserved for those just starting out in life. Last Friday night, Vavaris's hard-fought battle for a neigh- borhood pub licence for the 107 West Esplanade sire of his Great reck Restaurant came to a crashing end. His long-time lawyer, Elko Kroon, delivered the news to the 64-year-old Greek native at his restaurant. “I teed very very bad,” said a distraught Vavaris. “I don’t chink justice for me. The truth is if you're poor nobody cares about Phe Liquor Control and Licensing Branch decision con- tained in a 12-page document states: Vavaris’s pub application was denied on the grounds the branch was net convinced the majority of the areas residents favored the pubr In 1994. North Vane ver Cin : urvey of the i he survey was later deemed te ha been flawed. but council chose ro pro- ceed with a public hearing. Last May. city councillors approved the Vavaris application. Vavans said an appeal of the decision is already in the works.