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August 20, 2013
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Rockin’ 12 Relive River Music Fest
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abbotsfordtimes.com
Pythons seized in Mission
Nearly 50 snakes taken; largest was 14 feet long ROCHELLE BAKER RBaker@abbotsfordtimes.com
C
lose to 50 pythons were seized by conservation officers after 100 snakes were discovered in a Mission home on Thursday. Insp. Chris Doyle of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said the property owners called out the agency after they discovered the slew of reptiles at the rental property.
PAISLEY
At least half a dozen conserva- rest were smaller.” tion officers descended on the There were approximately 50 Van Velzen Avenue other snakes at the property that they home that weren’t First reported @ cordoned off with abbotsfordtimes.com prohibited but are yellow police tape restricted under the a n d w h e re t h e y Wildlife Act, includspent most of the day dealing ing some smaller python species with the situation. and boa constrictors, said Doyle. Conservation officers ultimately No venomous animals were in the discovered 46 reticulated pythons, home, he added. which are prohibited exotic aniSo many conservation officers mals under the provincial Wildlife were on scene due to the large Act as a controlled animal species, number of animals to be secured said Doyle. and to ensure public safety, said The longest python in the Doyle. house was just over 14 feet long, “There’s no reason to believe he said. any snakes have escaped.” “There were six larger ones, see SNAKES, page A5 including the biggest one . . . the
– ROCHELLE BAKER/TIMES
Conservation officers inform the snakes’ owner, above in yellow safety vest, that dozens of his illegal reticulated pythons were euthanized on Thursday.
Home invaders intimidate teens
– ROCKS THE RIVER
T
SCAN FOR PHOTOS –JEAN KONDA-WITTE/TIMES
Country music star Brad Paisley brought down the house Friday night at the Rockin’ River Music Fest in Mission. Big & Rich were the headliners on Saturday night. For more photos, see pages 12 – 13 and www.abbotsfordtimes.com for a gallery of the event.
wo home invaders pushed past a 16-yearold boy to rob valuables from an Abbotsford residence on Wednesday afternoon. Two men entered the townhouse in the 32400 b l o c k o f K i n g Ro a d a t 3:50 p.m. when the teen answered the door, said Sgt. Elly Wright. The two suspects took the victim and his friend to an upstairs bedroom and stole money, jewelry and electronics. The robbers fled in a darkcoloured, two-door car with a fist-sized rust stain above the driver’s side rear wheel well. No weapon was produced and the teenage victim and his friend were unharmed, said Wright. One suspect is described
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as Caucasian, approximately 30 years old, with an average build and wearing a red hoodie. He was five feet ten inches tall with short brown hair and scabs on his face. The second suspect, also approximately 30 years old, was unshaven with a darker skin tone and a tattoo of a star like figure on the right of his neck. He was wearing a black hoodie and was five feet nine inches tall, with an average to heavy build and short spiked black hair. Anyone with information about this incident should call the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-8595225 or text 222973 (abbypd) or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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