SURREY SENIOR SCARES OFF INVADERS

Three grow "rippers" wearing hoods fled the home of a 65-year-old Surrey
man when he drew a gun on them early Friday morning.

The trio kicked in the man's front door and pepper-sprayed him before he
was able to produce his own weapon, which he did not fire.

Police said the suspects appeared to be looking for a grow op, but the
house did not contain one.

The 5:20 a.m. incident in the 15100-block of 76 Ave. was three of four grow
"rips" in a 25-hour period in Surrey that resulted in the shooting of one
person. All are believed to be the work of the same group of crooks looking
to raid illegal indoor marijuana grow ops.

In at least two cases, however, innocent people who had no link to pot
growing were attacked.

Earlier the same morning, a group of three white male suspects broke into a
home located west of the Port Mann Bridge which was occupied by an elderly
couple and a child.

The suspects appeared to be after the marijuana grow operation inside the
home but when a 68-year-old male resident resisted, he was shot by the
suspects.

The victim is currently in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A few minutes before that, a group of three men with their faces covered
kicked open the front door of a house located in the 11300 block of
Loughren Dr. When officers arrived, the suspects and the occupant of the
home were gone, but it appeared that pepper-spray had been used.

Early Thursday morning, about 4:45 a.m., three men forced open the front
door of a house located in the 6600 block of 150 St.

The suspects pepper-sprayed the 48-year-old male resident. Again, it
appears they were looking for a grow operation, but none was found. The
trio fled when the house alarm went off.

Surrey RCMP say within the past 30 days, there have been 13 grow rips or
attempted grow rips in the city, and the number of incidents appears to be
on the rise.