BOUND MAN LEADS POLICE TO GROW OPERATION

The latest marijuana bust Monday morning had a violent twist.

A man covered in blood approached a contractor working outside a home on
the 7000 block of Ash Street, near Granville Road, Monday around 9:30 a.m.
and asked for a favour.

"Can you cut me loose?"

When the worker looked up, there was a Caucasian man wearing only a T-shirt
and underwear, his hands tied behind his back and awkwardly grasping a set
of pruning shears.

The worker quickly made a 9-1-1 call to alert police, who later that
morning found the man wandering through the neighbourhood after people
refused to untie him.

As it turned out, the man was the apparent victim of a robbery in which he
was beaten inside a home at 7140 Ash St. The home had been converted into a
marijuana growing operation, with its walls covered in black-and-white
plastic and an elaborate system of extension cords, lights, silver
ductwork, fans, and water hoses hooked up to pots in the dilapidated home's
living room.

The worker, who asked not to be identified, told The Review Tuesday
afternoon that the victim wasn't too forthcoming with details about what
had happened to him and because of his appearance, he didn't think it was a
good idea to release him. The victim claimed he was robbed and then changed
his story, saying he was mugged.

A couple of hours after the accident, a man in a brown older-model van
pulled into the driveway as police were continuing their investigation.
After apparently spotting police, the driver tried to turn around, only to
be flagged down by an officer. Police allegedly found a small amount of
marijuana, chemicals used to grow marijuana and a ballast in the van and
arrested the driver.

Richmond RCMP Const. Peter Thiessen said there were about 90 marijuana
plants stolen from the bungalow after an altercation.

According to police, two men, one described as Caucasian and the second
darker, entered the home to rip off the victim. The man was then assaulted
and left tied up with grey duct tape.

According to the worker, an investigating officer said there was a lot of
blood inside the home and police were investigating whether the rip-off is
related to criminal gang activity, or possibly even the Hell's Angels
motorcycle gang.

A neighbour said he wasn't particularly surprised about the grow op
discovery and pointed out several other suspicious homes nearby.

Another man on a bicycle also pulled up to the home, and then made a hasty
retreat Tuesday after spotting the dozens of cut extension cords strewn
across the driveway.