VANCGLVER Bee Test drive the new Pontiac Bonneville | NEWS photo Cindy Goodman AUTUMN SUNSET: The month of October was a study in extremes — it began with warm, sunny weather and ended with a week of below normal temperatures. 77-year-old North Van man’s skull fractured in vicious crowbar attack A TI-YEA -OLD good Samaritan who attempted to stop a burglary in progress in North Vancouver Tuesday morn- ing was struck on the head with a crowbar for his efforts. Laing Drive resident Markus Gerber received a fractured skull in the attack. To press time Thursday he was listed in fair and stable condition at Lions Gate Hospital. Said North Vancouver RCMP Sgt. Randy Bennett, ‘You have to admire the guy. Who, at his age, would consider confronting some- body like that? Not anybody would. Unfortunately he then became the victim.”’ The police had already been By Michael Becker News Reporter searching for the suspect when the attack occurred. Earlier Tuesday morning the West Vancouver Police were alerted to a burglary in progress at an apartment complex at 235 Keith Rd. They responded and found that two suspects had broken a win- Si dow and fled. A police dog track- ed across the Capilano River overpass on the Upper Levels Highway, bur lost the suspects’ trail at a river bank. Meanwhile the police arrested one break and enter suspect at Keith Road. Darrin Randall Lewis, 26, of West Vancouver, faces a charge of break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence. Later, at approximately 10 a.m., a motorist observed an el- derly man bloodied and staggering along Capilano Road. The victim had been attacked in the 2800- block of Capilano Road. pies ORTH After beating the elderly man, the burglary suspect broke into a home located in the 1200-block of Terrace Avenue. The suspect entered an unlocked window and stole two leather jackets. He also exchanged a blood-stained shirt for a_ third jacket. Said burglary victim Debra Pollock, ‘I came in the door and his shirt was just inside the door.’’ She had left home to go shopp- ing, but returned for a forgotten item. Said Pollock of her brush with danger, ‘‘It’s not something I’ve ever given a thought to before. It’s always something that hap- pens to someone else. We’re kind of in a secluded area.” Pollock praised Gerber’s action. “I really think he is commend- able,” she said. In the meantisne the police maintained surveillance in the area. About three hours later the suspect was located on the Squamish Indian Bands’ Capilano reserve. He was arrested by the North Vancouver RCMP with the assistance of West Vancouver police dog Trooper. John Victor Lewis, 21, of West Vancouver, was charged Wednes- day with robbery, aggravated assault, break, enter and theft, at- tempted break and enter and possession of a weapon (a metal bar). Said Squamish Band peacekeeper Sam George, ‘‘It seems like the whole world is coming apart. I predicted the vio- lence coming up. All the coke and booze going around, parties get- ting more violent.”’