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Opinion: Burnaby’s ‘living nightmare’ house swarmed by cops…again

When I ask Steve how he was feeling the day after the house next door got swarmed by heavily armed Burnaby RCMP tactical officers and police dogs due to a home invasion, he takes a long pause before answering. “I’m exhausted,” he finally says.
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When I ask Steve how he was feeling the day after the house next door got swarmed by heavily armed Burnaby RCMP tactical officers and police dogs due to a home invasion, he takes a long pause before answering.

“I’m exhausted,” he finally says. “I was trying to figure out why I was so tired today and it’s because of the stress of what happened.”

What happened was a home invasion in the 7900 block of 15th Avenue, according to Burnaby RCMP, and Steve was trapped inside his home most of the day terrified because he had no idea why tactical officers with heavy weapons were on his front lawn.

And yet, he also wasn’t surprised.

You see, this house is one I wrote about on June 2 because of its long, sordid history with calls to the police for a variety of reasons. It was also the scene of a former 10-unit Airbnb hotel that the City of Burnaby eventually shut down.

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You can read about the saga here, but the downstairs tenant I interviewed - she calls herself Graceland to protect her identity – told me the past few months have included a long list of scary incidents involving tenants who live upstairs that have required her calling the police. Graceland told me how she has also complained to her landlord about the incidents, and the drug use of the upstairs tenants, but that the landlord has tried to evict her.

This saga has involved Graceland taking her landlord to arbitration over the refusal to deal with these issue. Graceland has now been fighting the eviction and was set for a virtual hearing on June 8. She called me after that date to say that it had been postponed because the landlord claimed there were technical glitches. Steve confirmed this because he was ready to testify on behalf of Graceland, but said it felt like a “stalling” tactic by the landlord, who lives on Vancouver Island.

“If she’s trying to wait me out, I’m not going to give up,” Graceland told me recently.

So, the home has been beset by calls to the police and now it’s the scene of a home invasion. I spoke with several area residents at the scene on Thursday and they were clearly frustrated by the many incidents involving the police.

The home invasion and the previous incidents might not be related. It just all be a terrible coincidence.

Here’s what police had to see about what happened.

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“The complainant reported that two men, believed to be carrying weapons, were in the residence,” stated a Burnaby RCMP news release. “Once on scene, police immediately surrounded the home and safely evacuated a female occupant from a suite in the house. The woman had been physically restrained and bound by the suspects, who were believed to still be inside.”

Police closed off 15th and 16th avenues between Sixth and Fourth streets. Officers using a loudspeaker ordered the suspects to surrender. At least one flashbang grenade was deployed.

The Emergency Response Team and Police Dog Service assembled. The ERT’s armoured vehicle was brought to the scene.

The team finally moved in at about 2:10 p.m., but found no suspects inside, according to media spokesperson Cpl. Brett Cunningham.

The woman was uninjured.

Police are continuing to investigate and are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area to contact Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999. To remain anonymous contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.solvecrime.ca.

If you know something, say something.

  • With files from Cornelia Naylor

Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.