- Brady Fotheringham
“Contributing Writer

WHEN the Biskupski family h had their dream
house built in Deep Cove this summer, they
never imagined that there was trouble with the
lot they purchased.

Three weeks: before Mark and Marzina Biskupski- were ‘to

move into their newly built $220,000 2,600-square foot home
at 4566 Leckhaven Place this June, they learned the person

Who posed as. the owner of the property in. the deal was not

_who he'was supposed to be.

‘Wilbert .Owen Kennedy, ;a~ Canadian. citizen living in”
for a few people at Ladney Downs.

Bellingham, Washington, h
: several decades. :
Kennedy didn’t receive a tax notice this year.

; owned the property for the past

When he inquired as to why not, he found out that some-

one ‘else: had sold his property and pocketed’ the $220,000.
.. Kennedy called the police...

Const. Chuck Kolot, of North Vangouver’s RCMP eco-
“nomic, ‘crime, unit, is now. looking into allegations of fraud,
forgery and i impersonation regarding the Lockhaven lot.

+ Ttwas an extremely’ brazen offence for the fictitious agent
(to'pull off),” Kolor said ‘of the alleged fraud and forgery.
The: listing agent,

immer: holidays,’ prospects
Andidates ‘are"slowly ‘coming
tof th \

jovernment;'an ‘organization
-Danyl

; against: Boname sai
decision ‘at; this time, ‘I’ve ‘been’: strongly
nicouraged: by ‘people: who worked very: hard for'me in'the
t and some-new, people,” Hogan‘ said. :
iRon: Wood ; Lis: seriously. ‘considering. running for
; -wouldn’t.. commit, : but left: «
pen, the aossbiity of, running for some position ‘this falls.
c ntentious ' issucs, ‘hai roughour’ this:

Current Dae te Sope
eking: r lection’ to'their'cou
and. Victor, Dirman. :

‘strong
: for council by r
but Rowiitree said until 3 a specific’ organi-
ti volved in the

usly
eeds t ‘be 'dddressed,

=Robin Cameron of Sutton Group

RCMP investigate alleged
impersonation in land sale

Westcoast Realty Ltd., whose job it was to verify the authentic-

ity of the property owner, is. said to have received a notarized ©

letter froma person verifying his identification, according to
’ Biskupski. :

The fictitious owner then called the Suton Group acting as.

an-agent for Kennedy and forwarded documents from the

alleged owner's law firm, Ladner Downs, by phone and fay. to.

Cameron at the Sutton Group accarding to Kolot. ‘
:No one ever.actually met the alleged owner in person except

Leslie. Howatt, lawyer’ for: the Real. Estate: Errors’ and
Omissions Insurance Corp., acting on behalf of Cameron and
Sutton Group, would not comment because ef the police i inves-
tigation. .

Even if'a case is settled and insurance covers any: negligence .

on behalf of realtors or builders, the fact thar there is now a’

house built on the Lockhaven fot complicates matters, making ©:
_irharder to return the lot back to’ Kennedy. oe

Biskupski views the: person who allegedly perpetrated the
fraud as an opportunist, but is more concerned that the identi-
fication of the actual | property owner, wasn *t-ascertained mare

| Year in Harold
Rd. pipeline

Brady Fotheringham’.
Contributing. Writer: .

"-ERIDAY August 13th’

“was not the-luckiest °°.
“day for Bobbi ‘Whiskin: |

rath

“She ‘opened her front,

os door iti Lynn “Valley”:

“last Friday to find her :
«driveway flooded with’
~ ankle‘deep. water, flow
ing, up her front, steps |

‘i
Neighbour
d cach. other. dig

Wednesday, August.18, 1999 ~ North Shore News — 3 s

critically by the realtors invaly ed.

The realtor who. sold the Hishupsk?’ $ property on Deep’
: Cove Roady Richard Staszkow of Home Life Bay. City, Realty
_.Co., fears his firm’s reputation avill be damaged by the case.

Noort Homes which built the house and helped finance the =”
‘mortgage for the Biskupski family, may be on the hook finan-, ‘
cially as well as the Biskupskis if land title i insurance doesn’t
cover the $220,000 investment:

~#Of all the thousands of places we've : built, this is the fir
time this has happened,” Len Noort Sr. said. :

‘Noort said thar every time a'person registers Property,
she is insured against loss due.to fraud.
>. “Our mortgage is in jeopardy, bur we are: e hopeful ‘that w
will get our money back,” Noort said.

Noort, however, isn’t: looking forward to spending. time
waiting for-a RCMP i investigation and any court cases to pan: sa
out. a ket ‘
“Je wasa shock for us to know that’ someone did this to'us.:..
{hope that the land title i insurance will get our F money back,”
said: Mark Biskupski ..-' ; o

The Biskupskis are still living i in their old. home on: Deep

Cove! Road which they sold in’ March., They: have:had.to ren

it from the new owners. However, they will soon have to move
out and rent-an apartment or house while: they. wait and fi nd
out if they'll get their money back throug gh legal. action or
_ through an insurance claim

tatement saying
responsible for Tei drain:
on “residential... property, but:
Bob: Auffma i”

North "Vancouver; ai
Whiskin’ ‘and’ ‘other, : residen é

; is eta in the
, titidst of 4 major,$2.6 ‘millio
replacement progra
iron ductile piping was quick
‘ly ‘installed Frida

BOBBI ‘Whiskin with her chiteven Megan'and.Conno

in front’of a broken water. main,’ thet ind. such:
dent: thei has flooded ‘the: driveways

the rug-c eaning | ‘bil
front hallway, Whiskin figures it won't be worth it to filc'a claim *
nder her insurance because the. deductible/alone is $500
Other neighbours on’ Harold have had to pay ‘drainage'clean
ers to: take the silt, our of “driveways, carports and ‘bas

si in: "1993:

Only one home, has'be en

should; 1 get’ ‘one: laraee lot and
us ‘House, Right,

construction Projes
arks" up
blocks’:

~'But’ despite a’ a

ains 10, educe : th
‘spite’ the sup

ing::.taff and the cl

ial aind faced much ‘area opposition: But
council ‘of he day reluctantly. ioe to,

when the; then:

always getyou‘an one & that is twice :
as big: when ‘it comes to house size
Atleast. ir: didn? t last’ aveek for Colin vould: not-be

and maintai

he the money., ‘from! th

*s“ proposed -home’<
000 square feet (642.5
“on the: two" easternmost -waterfront ‘lots