Pubdate: Fri, 29 Dec 2000
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2000 The Province
Contact:  200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada
Fax: (604) 605-2323
Website: http://www.vancouverprovince.com/
Author: Greg Middleton

FATHER AND DAUGHTER TERRORIZED AT GUNPOINT

Home Invader Kicks In Door, Demanding Money And Marijuana

A gunman yelling "police, police!" burst into a Surrey home yesterday,
terrorizing an innocent family.

The masked intruder put a gun to the head of the father and his
10-year-old daughter in the mistaken belief the house was being used
to grow marijuana.

"He was very scared, his wife was very scared and the girl was
terrified," said Chi Pham, who owns the yellow two-storey house near
161st Street and 96th Avenue and lives upstairs.

Pham said he heard a bang like a door slamming just after midnight. He
didn't realize it was someone kicking in the door to the basement
suite he rents to the couple, who are in their 30s and have three children.

He said his tenants told him the gunman, wearing a balaclava, burst
into the bedroom demanding dope and money.

The gunman told the man to "hand over the drugs and the money" or he'd
be killed.

And when the man's daughter entered the room, awakened by the noise,
the thug put a gun to her head and told her to sit down and be quiet
or she was "going to die."

Frustrated that there were no drugs, the gunman grabbed the man's
wallet, took $200 and ran to a waiting getaway car.

Pham said there had been a marijuana grow house in the neighbourhood
- -- a two-storey house two doors down, but police busted it months ago.

Police say there is an increasing problem with groups of criminals
raiding grow houses belonging to other groups.

They say the grow-house raiders target homes where dope is being grown
and sold, increasing their chances of scoring money as well.

Police believe the raiders are often rival growers because they
already have a market for the product.

Surrey police are looking for anyone who might have seen the gunman or
the waiting getaway car.

The family has temporarily moved out and is staying with relatives.
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