@ www.theotherpress.ca News Surrey grow-ops down by 82 per cent Electrical Fire Safety Program spearheads success By David Hollinshead, Staff Writer fter four years of the Surrey Electrical Fire Safety program, the city is reporting 82 per cent fewer grow- ops within city limits. The Electrical Fire Safety program began in 2005, when the city enacted its controlled substance bylaw. The Surrey fire department, the RCMP, and electrical inspections department oversee the program, which relies on tips from BC Hydro to monitor residential electricity to locate illegal grow-ops. Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis has estimated that there are now only a few hundred indoor grow-ops instead of thousands from years past, after intensive inspection programs. “We need to be looking ahead if we want to solve this problem in our neighborhoods,” he said. “It’s not about marijuana as far as the fire service is concerned, it’s about unsafe homes.” operations, instead of relying solely on the criminal justice system,” Mayor Dianne Watts said, “The end result is that we’ve shut down thousands of operations, which are a major public safety risk and fire hazard.” “If grow-ops in Surrey are going down, it’s speculated that they are just relocating to other communities around the Surrey area.” According to Garis, the program has led to a substantial drop in house fires throughout Surrey. In 2005, they investigated 127 grow-ops, but in 2007, when they were able to gain access to Hydro information and monitor residential areas more thoroughly, they investigated 445. Improvements continued into 2008, as they busted 107 grow-ops, 144 in 2009, 117 in 2010, and 89 in 2011. The program also proclaims that it is protecting children, as between 2005-2008, 234 children were found in grow-op locations. “We're providing an administrative solution to the problem of marijuana grow There have been some causes for worry about the future of the program though. If grow- ops in Surrey are going down, it’s speculated that they are just relocating to other communities around the Surrey area. Places like Richmond, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Langley, Pitt Meadows, and Mission have less enforcement when it comes to grow-ops and would make an easy place for growers to go. It’s also been suggested that the crack down on grow-ops has made growers more paranoid about how they grow. Growers could be stealing power, avoiding detection from Hydro records. Valentine’s Day vehicular vandalism Man charged in slashing at Surrey SkyTrain stations By Dylan Hackett, News Editor spree of Valentine’s vandalism has left the vehicles of over 100 commuters damaged in the north Surrey Central area. Surrey RCMP laid two charges of mischief under $5000 against Dean McEwan, 41, a Lower Mainland resident of no fixed address, for tire slashing and keying cars at Surrey SkyTrain stations on February 14. “We are currently investigating the damage to 80 vehicles. A tremendous amount of information is still being assessed by investigators, including several sources of video surveillance. Further charges are anticipated.” said Cpl. Drew Grainger in a Surrey RCMP press release. Police first received calls about vehicles being damaged around the Central City Shopping Centre at around 10 a.m., and followed him as the call-in complaints moved northbound. McEwan was caught and arrested at 12:30 p.m. ICBC sent a dozen claims officials to the area of the vandalism to adjust and assess the damage, which is currently estimated to be in the four-figure range. “There seems to be quite a number of different locations as well,” said ICBC spokesman Adam Grossman. “There’s a variety of range of damage to the vehicles— some with all four tires slashed, some actually just had one tire [slashed ].” Grossman also estimates the cost for those without ICBC’s additional comprehensive insurance plan to be “very expensive.” McEwan has a history of mental illness as was reported missing after being last seen at Burnaby General Hospital on Feb 4. He was on an RCMP missing persons list before the incident. “Police are concerned for McEwen’s well-being,” said Cpl. Lee-Anne Dunlop in a Feb 4 press release. “McEwen was distressed when last seen and police ask anyone who sees McEwen not to approach him and call police right away.” The Surrey RCMP currently have no motive established for the crime, which has been described as random. ICBC asks for those with vehicles damaged in the area to call their claims line at 604-520- 8222. Surrey RCMP is asking any witnesses to contact them at 604- 599-0502 or anonymous tips to be called in at 1-800-222-TIPS.