- 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