Gas- spill

Anna Marie D'Angelo

News Reporter
dangclo@nsnews.com

THE gasoline robber
has struck yet again in
North Vancouver.

On Sunday, a man held up
the Grouse Inn at 1633
Capilano Rd. ‘The gasoline
robber has been terrorizing
motel and video store clerks
since mid March.

This is his cighth robbery
since March 18. It is also the
fit time the gasoline robber
way filmed by a surveillance
camera. The camera was newly
installed ac the Grouse Inn,
said North Vancouver ROMP
Const. Heidi Hoffman.

Hoftman said the robber
hasn’t been caught because he
is elusive, She declined to
elaborate, but Hoffman said
the man’s arrest is a “detinite
priority.

“This person is digging
himself inte a hole right now
and he is going to be caught,”
said Hoffman.

“We want to do it before
somebody gets hurt,” she
said,

In this fatest incident, the
robber sprayed gasoline on a
counter in tront ofa clerk. He
then fit a lighter over the wet
counter. The suspect got away
with an undisclosed amount

of cash. The clerk was not
injured.

Last week the gasoline rob-
ber stole cash at a Coquitlam
motel and a Coquitlm adult
video store, issuing similar
threats against clerks working,
‘lone.

In North Vancouver, the
armed robber has held up the
Red Hot Video; Movies,

Surveillance photo courtesy North Vancouver ACMF
THE gasoline robber (above) was caught on film during the Grouse Inn heist.

Movies; Dial-a- Movie,
Rodgers Video and the
Travelodge.

He attempted to rob the
North Shore Market, but lett
empty-handed after a struggle
with a male clerk.

The gasoline robbery is
described as being Caucasian,
in his Jate 30s to carly 40s,
1.78 m (5°10") with a mous:

Police believe tvio crops harvested

From page 3

The off-duty officer sealed
the wall and “sniffed” mari-
juana at the top in a corner.
Drug-scetion Mounties cook
several, days to pinpoint
which building the odour
was coming from. Police
described the warehouse as
an elaborate hydroponic mar-
ijuana operation in which
walls were constructed with
plastic sealing so thar the
smell would not leak.
Venting for the marijuana
was done through the roof of
the building. Police believe at
least nwo “crops” of marijua-
na were harvested at the
warehouse.

Drug section officers esti-
mate that the = marijuana

PAV RILA'B PEQONDTHEIN Evy
http://wwwensmews.com

May Birthday?
Special

1/2 ct emerald.
2 diamonds. 14K gold

| ap 2. 5850
ie € ST ince vd
ao DES DESIGN STUDIO|

#2-2435 Marine Dr., West Van
(back lone) 922-301 4

seized could supply all North
Shore pot smokers tor six
months.

The marijuana plants are
slated to be destroyed. The
warehouse land is owned by
North Vanconver District

FACTORY FUTON

Enteance in feat lane

“The Farm’

{over 30 acres of selection)

Open 7 Days per week

| {Cedar Rim Nursery !

The Fraser Valley’s Largest Retail Nursery
"-SPEGIALS OF :THE MONTH |.

* Golden Native Cedars. 6-7’ tall, 3-4 wide...
+ Potted Roses. 2 gal. Pot Jour choice of varieties
gal... $16.98 6-7" Field Grown... $69.98

« Japanese Red Maples. 3’, 5

* Purple or White Magnolias. 4-5" ull. Field Grown...

$24.98
so.98 ft

549.98

4 Gi R Langiey l
Ph: 888-4491 . Sonn off Tare Caan fives ind Sk

Hon. Sat. 1!-Gpan Sunday 12-5 pm

(NVD). A 89-year lease on
the property began in 1974,
according to NVD property
information. The current
lease holder is Ko & S.
Holdings. Police said the
warchouse was subleased,

Freedom from $2,995

$ 99 conPanE

Obi. 3 99 sto
nclates sale pune sofa bee frame
ype foam cove fatve,scatch-quiées (oven corey,

pies apo coms Wie ypates ast
267 €. Ist. W.¥an

984-4504

ANY PURCHASE
OVER $20.00.
at Cedar Rim Nursery I

Limit one coupon per customer.
Vatid unt May 31/99 SN
_— we

tache. He usually wears dark
sunglasses.
Hoffman said that police

do not know whether some of

the gasoline robberies were
done by a copycat criminal.

Anyone with information is
asked to call) the North
Vancouver RCMP at 985-
131} or Crime Steppers at
669-8477.

720 Marine De. North Van

Wednesday, May 5. 1999 — North Shore News - 5

FOR INFORMATION CALL

984-9321

ews)

ANY OIL CHANGE

PACKAGE

Former! sla aathe

Ne Vancouver
5-1050 ai CHANGE a

Since 1976 tro.

any car ‘on our fot.

257-7495 J

Gorgeous Fresh Flowers

designed especially for Mom

i

ae
from 49 28 4 |

Hand Tied Bouquets

with fragrant lilies, stocks, orchids

we s <0 98
Ina vase from 59:

Azalea Plants
$ 98
in decorative containers from 39 .

Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9th

OPEN

Mondiy to Saturday
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Friday to 7:00 pn

OPEN
Sunday
9290 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

yi
AN

WEST- VAN: FLORIST
. & GARDEN CENTRE

I 1821 Marine Drive, West Vancouver * Tel: 922-4171 - 922-3968 Fax: 922-9735