INSIDE: Identity theft victim to crook: “they’re going to find you” Pg. 3 F R I D A Y
December 3, 2010
the buzz 27 Catch on SwarmJam N E W S ,
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E N T E R T A I N M E N T abbotsfordtimes.com
Mike opens solo Hundreds of supporters, but no MLAs on board for Liberal leadership run . . . yet
De Jong, whose Abbotsford-Mt.Lehman riding includes the airport, was able to cram about 600 people into a large room on the north side of the terminal as he officially launched his bid for leadership of the Liberal Party. The impact of the announcement was somewhat lessened after his Facebook page revealed his intenRAFE ARNOTT tions hours before, a fact he made light of when he RArnott@abbotsfordtimes.com took the stage. “Did you hear? I’ve got a Facebook page,” he joked. o Liberal Party MLAs joined British ColumSaying he had tendered his resignation as attorney bia Attorney General Mike de Jong on stage general, de Jong touted his campaign slogan of “Open at Abbotsford Airport as he announced Mike,” and touched on leadership campaign issues. “We need to make a fresh start when it comes to his candidacy for the province’s top job Wednesday morning, but not because they weren’t transparency and accountability. And we’re going to set the example in this campaign,” he said. asked. Campaigns are expensive to run, and When queried why no MLAs were First reported @ de Jong seemed to cast doubt on whethpresent, de Jong’s provincial cam- abbotsfordtimes.com er he had a war chest big enough to go paign manager in 2009 and 2005, Dave Holmberg said, “[de Jong] wants to be truly the distance, telling supporters in attendance, “We’re going to need your help, we’re going to need you out independent of all of them.” But former solicitor general and Abbotsford South there working and we’re going to need your money.” Bringing up the highly contentious Harmonized MLA John van Dongen said he declined an invitation Sales Tax, de Jong seemed to be distancing himself to attend de Jong’s announcement. “I . . . was invited by a member of Mike’s team to from three-term Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell’s hugely unpopular HST. attend,” van Dongen said. “But after thinking about it, I decided not to attend see LEADERSHIP, page A27 because I’m supporting George Abbott.”
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“Appalling” hospital purse thief still at large
ROCHELLE BAKER RBaker@abbotsfordtimes.com
Steals from woman sleeping in hallway
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was unconscious. her bag. He didn’t have any “If this person is preLuckily the purse k n ow l e d g e o f h e r contained personal pared to prey on the physical condition,” items and few valuMacDonald said. vulnerable, it’s unlikely ables, said Mac“If he would be preDonald. pared to steal from to be a one-off.” “He was probably this person, do you hopeful there was think he’d think twice cash or identificaabout stealing from – Const. Ian MacDonald APD tion, but he gets [anyone else]?” women’s clothing The video shows a and some mediman approaching the young wom- cation not useful to him in any an asleep in her bed, and noticing way – but of course he didn’t know her purse lying on a table near that.” her feet. Police initially tried to identify The suspect walks away, only the suspect by circulating the video to return within a minute to grab images of the suspect to patrol
bbotsford Police are appealing to the public to help identify a man who robbed a young woman while she was in hospital. Investigators are releasing images of a suspect caught on surveillance cameras at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre the afternoon of Oct. 26 after he stole the purse of a 20year-old woman sleeping on a bed in the hallway. The incident merits the police and public’s extra attention, said Const. Ian MacDonald. “We are appalled when offences are perpetrated against the most vulnerable of our society . . . she
officers and staff at the hospital, said MacDonald, who added investigators believed the man might be somebody who committed similar crimes on a regular basis. “If this person is prepared to prey on the vulnerable, it’s unlikely to be a one-off. If you see the video, his actions look pretty calculated.” The photos were then issued to other police departments to determine if the suspect was working in other communities, before deciding to release them to the public for help, said MacDonald. ◗Anyone with information about the theft should contact the Abbotsford Police at 604-859-5225 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
First reported @
abbotsfordtimes.com
– VIDEO STILL/TIMES
This man was caught on video stealing a woman’s purse while she slept in a hospital bed. For a video of the purse snatcher, visit www.abbotsfordtimes.com.
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