Tuesday June 11, 2013 (Vol. 38 No. 47)
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
S O U T H
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
Fast pitch: Chuck Westgard and Greg Timm are spearheading Surrey’s bid for the 2016 women’s world fastpitch championships – and they’re hoping to find plenty of support. › see page 29
Manmeet Singh arrived at newspaper office with two knives and a hatchet
Wife killer pleads guilty in 2011 attack Sheila Reynolds Black Press
Contributed photo
Singh and Bhangu.
A Surrey man who attacked and killed his wife with a hatchet during a brazen daylight slaying in Surrey two years ago pleaded guilty to seconddegree murder on Monday. Manmeet Singh murdered his 24-year-old wife, Ravinder Kaur Bhangu, on July 28, 2011.
The court heard that just before noon, Singh walked into the Sash Di Awaaz newspaper office, where Bhangu worked, with three weapons: two knives and a hatchet. Singh approached Bhangu and struck her in the head at least twice with the hatchet. He then stabbed her repeatedly with one of the knives, telling staff members at the newspaper
office that Bhangu had been unfaithful to him. He said someone should call 911, and he remained on scene until police arrived. Singh was originally charged with first-degree murder and two other assault charges related to injuries suffered by one of two men who attempted to intervene in the deadly attack. He pleaded guilty to the single,
lesser charge in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster. Now 28, Singh – clean cut and dressed in a dark suit and tie – listened to a court interpreter who translated the court proceedings from English to Punjabi. He appeared calm throughout, looking a couple of times at the people sitting in the viewing gallery. › see page 2
No post for Hogg, Hunt
Cadieux returns to cabinet Alex Browne Staff Reporter
Three of five Surrey BC Liberal MLAs have been chosen for posts in Premier Christy Clark’s new cabinet announced Friday afternoon at an outdoor ceremony at Canada Place in Vancouver. Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Stephanie Cadieux returns as minister of children and family development in her second term as MLA (she previously represented SurreyPanorama, but ran in her home riding of Surrey-Cloverdale after the announced retirement of former MLA and deputy premier Kevin Falcon). In her first term, Cadieux’s portfolios were minister of social development, minister of labour, citizens’ services and open government and minister of community, sport and cultural development. Minister of education is Peter Fassbender, newly elected as Surrey-Fleetwood MLA following an extensive career in municipal politics in Langley City, where he was first elected to council in 2002, and was subsequently elected mayor in the 2005, 2008 and 2011 civic elections. Newly elected Surrey-Tynehead MLA Amrik Virk becomes minister of advanced education. › see page 4
Potato Plants
Large plants in 1 gal pots. 12 varieties including German Butterball!
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Surveillance images
Police have released several images after a series of armed holdups of ATM bank customers in South Surrey and White Rock since May 12.
Armed robberies at ATMs by man with covered mouth and nose
Reward to bust ‘surgical mask bandit’ Tracy Holmes & Sarah Massah Staff Reporters
Surrey RCMP and the Canadian Bankers Association have upped the ante in their quest to capture the culprit behind a recent rash of armed robberies targeting ATM customers. Police Friday released security-camera images and announced a $10,000 reward in the hopes of identifying a suspect they’re describing as the “surgical mask bandit.” It’s believed the individual is responsible for six robberies that occurred in White Rock and
32nd Ave. & 152nd St. 2124 - 128th Street, Ocean Park 12530 - 72nd Ave. 192nd St. at 48th Ave. www.pottersonline.ca
South Surrey between May 12 and June 2. “Our investigators now believe the same suspect might be responsible,” Cpl. Bert Paquet said in a statement Friday afternoon. The Surrey robberies took place on May 23 and 25, as well as two on June 2. One victim told Peace Arch News he was targeted at the TD Canada Trust located at 152 Street and 26 Avenue – a machine he chose after hearing about the earlier White Rock incidents. The man, who asked not to be identified, said he was at the ATM around 9:15 p.m. May
23 when “I saw this guy walking into the bank with a mask and a gun.” He was dressed in a hoodie, a checkered shirt and work-boot-type shoes, and was wearing a baseball cap, the man said. The mask did not cover his eyes. “He basically said, ‘I want you to withdraw $500 from your account.’ It was somewhat surreal because I had read about the other instances. I thought it was part of a movie, except it was real.” › see page 2
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