Pubdate: Tue, 21 Jun 2005
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Sarah Fox
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

POLICE HAD VISITED WAREHOUSE BEFORE

Officers Investigated Discovery Of Human Blood But No Charges Laid

A Richmond warehouse that burned to the ground was well known to police.

"This building is not a stranger to us at the police department," Richmond 
RCMP spokesman Cpl. Peter Thiessen said yesterday.

"Several years ago, we attended here on a major investigation."

In November 2003, human blood was found at the warehouse and 40 police 
officers --including several from the Missing Women's Task Force -- 
investigated.

However, police did not lay charges.

Nonetheless, said Thiessen, that "doesn't mean there wasn't any criminal 
activity."

Witnesses told police Sunday that they saw a man trapped behind a 
second-storey window of the warehouse in the 11000-block Bridgeport Road 
but were unable to rescue him because of the smoke.

Investigators yesterday were still trying to determine whether the man made 
it out alive.

"Our serious-crime investigators are involved in regards to any possibility 
that there may be a victim inside," said Thiessen.

There was a large marijuana grow-op in the building which police suspect 
caused the fire, but Thiessen said the exact cause may not be determined 
for days.

"The grow-op in this building was extensive. It was a large, large 
grow-op," said Thiessen.

"The grow-op being in the building is a strong likelihood of being a 
contributor to this fire."

The warehouse is owned by Broadway Property Ltd., which is owned by Ronald 
Roadburg. It is managed by Gateway Property Management in Vancouver.

Leslie Bessey, Gateway's director of operations, said the building was 
inspected when Gateway felt it needed to be and there were no signs of 
illegal activity.

There has been no suggestion that Broadway Property Ltd., Roadburg, or 
Gateway was connected to the grow-op.
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