Times Colonist from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada • 17

TTpT A TT TT1 ''2ri Tf Ov Saturday, October 23, 1993 Wheels of justice unlikely to turn up stolen bike 1- 'oT "I had a serial number engraved on it and gave the number to the police. But I doubt I'll get it back. It will be stripped down and the parts sold. People can make a lot of money doing that." In Oak Bay alone 102 bicycles valued under $1,000 have been stolen so far this year, and 14 bicycles valued over $2,000 have been swiped, said Staff Sgt. Garth Fowler.

Shirley Burley, president of insurance agents Burley and Hodges, said most insurance companies slap a $500 limit on the amount they'll pay out for a stolen bicycle. Both police and insurance companies say bicycle thefts have become a fact of life. "The problem is of great concern to us," said Fowler. "The numbers of thefts are high and the number of recoveries are not Obviously, they are mostly being stolen for profit as more expensive bikes become part of a recreational pastime. It's an ongoing, steady problem." Burley said people with valuable bicycles have the option of buying insurance on payment schedules of about five per cent, meaning they would pay $50 a year for a bicycle valued at $1,000.

"Bicycles are definitely high risk for insurance companies. It's one of the big losses we are all paying for." She noted that several years ago, a ring of youths in Victoria actually stole their own bicycles, sold the parts, and used replacement bicycles paid for by insurance coverage. As for Gavin, all he can do is take the theft with philosophical resignation. "I'm just going to try and get a new bike. I've started on a payment plan.

And I think we'll be putting a better lock on the garage door." But not this week. Eaton's bike was swiped from the garage at his family's Oak Bay home. And that's got his wheels spinning. "This has just blown me away," said the 15-year-old. "1 feel kind of helpless." "I was basically buying a new bike in pieces." He and his father were hoping to cycle to California next year.

Gavin's now back to Square 1, saving money from a newspaper route and getting a little help from his parents to start all over again. By Holly Nathan Times-Colonist staff Grade 10 student Gavin Eaton invested an entire summer's earnings from house-painting to jazz up his $2,000 GT Team Avalanche mountain bike. The $1,200 he saved went into new custom wheels, bar ends, and other top-notch components. When he parked it out on the streets, he removed the seat and locked up both wheels. When he came home from school, he cycled.

When he finished his homework, he was out on the road again. EATON: blown away by theft RCMP vet knifed, hit by vandals By Pamela Bishop and Gerard Young Times-Colonist staff Ganges RCMP collars suspect in U.S. murder after getting tips Two 18-year-olds were charged after a former RCMP inspector was stabbed as he tried to stop them vandalizing road construction barricades in Esquimau. David Staples, a 59-year-old retired drug-squad leader, suffered a slash across his hand from a 25-centimetre Buck knife as he defended himself. The incident happened at about 11 p.m.

on Thursday and Esquimau Deputy Chief Graham Brown said Staples and his wife Carol Ann, who was in the car at the time of the attack, are still shaken. The former inspector stopped his car when he saw the teens breaking up the barricades near Admirals Road and Colville Road, he said. "They basically attacked him proceeding to punch and kick him and one produced a hunting-type knife and took a lunge at the gentleman," Brown said. Two servicemen who saw the assault came to Staples' aid and the two teens fled, he said. Police were called and tracked the teens to an apartment in the 700-block Admirals Road, he said.

Staples, in the 1970s, was in charge of the RCMP drug squad which worked with the municipal police. Warren T. Gale and Jonathan Clark Moulds, both 18, were remanded in custody when they appeared in Victoria Provincial Court Friday. Their trial date was set for Nov. 2.

Both men were charged with assault with a knife and assault causing bodily harm. Gale was also charged with possession of a knife for a dangerous purpose and carrying a concealed knife. 5- K'-'-vKt ill ipi II vf I 1 i If. I -f I mi I ii.Hn J. ml urn i farWrilM i.iiirf ifi Ul I'll, lirt 1.

Tin Vf LiMt.f L. We're faced with a big problem the death penalty. Det. Larry Savage Osceola County Sheriff's Department left the department but another member took an interest in the case in 1991 and started "hunting down" Gervasoni. Gervasoni and hi? girlfriend lived rear Trenton, New Jersey, and he was last seen ibout three yearo ago in the state, Savage said.

John McLaughlin, research producer at Unsolved Mysteries, said from Burbank, California, the story is gut-wrenching because the murdered woman's mother, Barbara Pasciak, was destroyed by the death and now lives on the streets. The six-minute segment on the program followed the tattooed Gervasoni and Paula Pasciak to her mother's mobile home where the couple appeared to be getting along, he said. But the mother found the body days later wrapped in a bamboo curtain under her bed, and Gervasoni gone. The show suggests the couple argued after Paula found him stealing from her mother and an altercation ensured, he said. Gervasoni is also wanted in New Jersey for parole violations related to robbery and assault.

The Saltspring arrest, meanwhile, came as a surprise to the suspect's employer, who owns a paint and decorating centre. "I was surprised. I was shaking in my boots," he said. "I had no idea." RCMP came to his shop looking for the man then went to a job site where they arrested him, shocking other tradespeople and the homeowners. He described the man as a good worker who was conscientious and on time.

He said the man didn't drink and visited his girlfriend in Victoria after working five or six days a week. He visited his employee in jail Thursday night because the man wanted his paycheque. "He admitted to me he was using somebody else's identity but he denied he was a murderer, denied he had ever been to Florida and denied he was an American," he said. By Gerard Young Times-Colonist staff Ganges RCMP has arrested a man it believes was featured on Unsolved Mysteries in connection with a murder in Florida seven years ago. Sgt.

Donald Smith said Friday police arrested a man as he painted a house on Saltspring Island. The arrest followed tips to Crime Stoppers and Unsolved Mysteries. The suspect claimed to be a Lower Mainland man who reported his wallet and identification stolen, Smith said. The Lower Mainland man made a criminal complaint of impersonation to Victoria Police, he said. But the suspect's fingerprints appear to match those of Gerald Gervasoni, known as Jerry or Weasel, who is wanted by Florida authorities, he said.

"He's Gervasoni wanted for killing his girlfriend in Florida," Smith said. The man, who is in his mid-30s, moved to Saltspring Island in early summer and still has a wife or a common-law wife in Victoria, Smith said. Canadian immigration officers planned to transfer him to Victoria from Ganges on Friday. Det. Larry Savage, of the Osceola County Sheriffs Department, said Gervasoni is wanted for the July 13, 1986, murder of his girlfriend while the two were on a vacation in Kissimmee, which is south of Orlando near Disney-World in central Florida.

"His girlfriend was strangled," Savage said. Gervasoni is charged with first-degree murder, but Savage doesn't know yet if the state will seek the death penalty. His department has notified the FBI and extradition proceedings have been initiated, Savage said. He didn't know how long it would take to have the suspect turned over to U.S. authorities or whether the move could be blocked.

"We're faced with a big problem the death penalty." Canada is hesitant to return prisoners to states or countries that have the death penalty, though there have been exceptions. Savage said detectives who originally investigated the crime have John McKayTimes-Colonist building facade. With Trafalgar branch president Charles Watkins, right, is Coun. Martin Segger, involved in establishing the Heritage Trust to restore similar buildings in the city. New look for legion In a torrential downpour Friday, the city of Victoria's Civic Heritage Trust and the Royal Canadian Legion's Trafalgar branch unveiled a major heritage restoration of its Broad Street Electronic monitor possible for North Sentences of more than four months or for violent crimes are not usually approved, but consideration is given in exceptional circumstances, Phipps said.

Meanwhile, he said, North would remain in the maximum-security Wilkinson Road jail for at least the weekend, after which an assessment would determine a possible transfer to the minimum-security Nanaimo Correctional Centre. Basi said there would be no appeal of the sentence, which he said he and the family believed was well within the expected range. The teenager admitted he wanted police to shoot him because he was deeply depressed. North had no previous criminal record, but some hostages reported he changed their lives forever. Under conditions of the electronic monitoring, North would have to wear an ankle bracelet that restricts his movements to less than 100 metres from his telephone.

Phipps said an application for immediate electronic monitoring was turned down. Because North's case didn't fit the normal criteria for electronic monitoring, a regional director would have the final decision. By Gerard Young Times-Colonist staff A Saanich teenager who took hostages at a credit union will serve part of his sentence on electronic monitoring, his lawyer says. Adam North, 19, was sentenced Thursday to six months in prison. Lawyer Ray Basi said Friday the corrections department will allow him to start electronic monitoring on Nov.

19, he said. "I think it's pretty good," he said, adding his client would remain in custody until then. However, Bert Phipps, district director of Vancouver Island corrections, said the case would be reviewed before electronic moni toring for North could be given final approval. His behavior would dictate whether it is approved, he said. North pleaded guilty to the unlawful confinement of three credit union employees and to pointing a firearm.

The hostage taking began just after noon March 31 at the Pacific Coast Savings Credit Union in Broadmead Village Shopping Centre. North walked into the credit union with two unloaded rifles and a kitchen knife. About 40 hostages were taken and released periodically over the course of the eight-hour standoff with the Emergency Response Team. No one was injured. And the band played on at Government House without his honor JIM GIBSON This town with his more publicly popular wife, then city mayor and now MLA Gretchen Brewin, have not been an issue.

If John was a contender, once again all that would have been the big buzz on election street By contrast, Saanich and the Islands MP Lynn Hunter has a more healthy and humorous attitude toward the poll and her political future. She went right from Friday's front page and the Mar-con poll story to her horoscope. She was thrilled to discover that "individual polling company? who said 'you were through' will suffer indigestion, dining on crow." And. better still, it promised a remarkable financial-emotional comeback." Since Lynn won't qualify for an MP pension, perhaps between last minute door knocking she should buy a few tickets on tonight's Lotto 649. HERE SAY And the little elves at Seacoast Sound are on overtime turning out cassettes of Barry's Best, a collection of 'FAX morning man's Barry Bowman's topical songs dating back to the mid-'80s gas wars.

"We can't keep up with the demand," said breathless Barry, who stressed he doesn't pocket the loot It goes to his station's year-round Christmas charity promotion. Barry claims not to have a favorite song it's always the next one he's poised to write. And yes, he's playing around with Beach Boys tunes for you know-who's run for city council Once again, another real estate agent won top spot in the B.C. Paraplegic Association's 2nd annual Monopoly tournament Last year it was Jack Davis and this year Bryan Reese. In future tournaments, house-sellers really should be handicapped.

After all, they spend their days flogging real-life Park Places and Marvin Gardens I refused to confirm or deny if his honor's whispered successor actually came or had had an appointment scheduled at Government House. Of course, PM Kim Campbell has yet to officially appointment a successor. And who knows, after Monday she may be too busy doling out last-minute patronage and forget completely about a little vice-regal something for her old caucus colleague. POLLS APART Poor John Brewin. He knows he's hasn't a chance so he takes a potshot under the guise of "breach of journalistic ethics" at those who bring the news.

John didn like this week's T-C poll findings that (surprise!) reduced him to what politely might be termed an also-ran in the Victoria riding. Surely John didn't need any poll to tell him that Simply, the fact that neither his hidden-from the-'88 voters financial situation and his later bvakup VISUALLY, young violinists Tim Haigiz and Jonathan Crow certainly made a statement at the Victoria Symphony's annual Government House concert. Tim, 12, stands somewhere between 15-year-old Jonathan's elbow and shoulder, bringing to mind a musical Mutt and Jeff. Whatever their physical contrasts, the duo reportedly made beautiful music. And their sound was all that David and Dorothy Lam got from the pair.

Their honors were languishing upstairs in their private quarters adjacent to the ballroom where the symphony played. Earlier that day they had returned from several days in Winnipeg where his honor had addressed a group of Chinese business and professional people. Their honors brought back more than just their luggage. They picked up a nasty flu bug which had the secretary, Michael Roberts, cancelling maay cf their scheduled even the one at the UVic Lam lecture series. Noting their absence, symphony board chairman Murray Glazier told the crowd that there were two important dates for their honors in October their anniversary and the symphony at Government House.

And many assumed that this year's concert would be the Lams' last. His tenure is up, and the assumption is that retiring House of Commons Speaker John Fraser is waiting to take over. While visiting here this spring, he had a heart attack. However Michael.