CBC News
Fri 8 Feb 2002
Crime; Special Report


Neighbours say they're shocked that a Vancouver area pig farm has become the focus of a massive search by a police task force looking into the disappearance of dozens of women.

Police descended on the farm Thursday amid speculation of a major break in the investigation of 50 women who disappeared from the Vancouver area over the past 18 years.

RCMP Const. Cate Galliford told reporters that a team of 30 investigators had begun searching the farm located 35 kilometres east of Vancouver.

"We could be here for a matter of days," said Galliford. "It's more likely we'll be here for weeks or even months."

Police were bringing in excavation equipment and appeared to be getting ready for an intensive search of a five-acre section of the farm.

RCMP in Coquitlam, B.C., laid firearms charges against a man who was arrested at the farm on Tuesday.

Robert William Pickton, 52, faces charges storing a firearm contrary to regulations, possession of a firearm while not being holder of a licence, and possession of a loaded restricted firearm without a licence.

Galliford said that Pickton had been released, and police were not currently concerned about where he was.

He was taken into custody on Tuesday as police began to search his farm on a warrant for firearms violations. Police came back with another warrant allowing the missing women task force to search the 28-acre farm.

Police haven't elaborated on what they saw during the first search that sent them to request another warrant.

But one officer told CBC News that there was substantial evidence, and that the lead being followed was strong.

An RCMP spokesperson in Port Coquitlam told CBC News Online that six pigs were being removed from the farm Thursday for their protection and as part of the investigation. He called the operation a "small" pig farm.

Galliford said investigators called relatives of the missing women throughout Wednesday night. Ernie Crey, the brother of one of the women, told The Vancouver Sun Wednesday the RCMP called him to say they have a suspect.

"The police told me it's going to be known tomorrow (Thursday) and they wanted me to find out first," Crey told the newspaper. "I've been calling all the brothers and sisters."

The pig farm reportedly is owned by two wealthy brothers. Much of it is swamp, fenced off and guarded by dogs. A sign on the gate says: "This Property Protected by a Pit Bull with AIDS."

Neighbours say there has been much late-night activity at the farm recently. They have seen police cars, also heavy excavation equipment on the property which is littered with ramshackle barns, junked cars, mounds of dirt and blocks of cement.

Over the years, both in southern B.C. and Washington state, there have been reports of a possible serial killer preying on women working in the sex-trade industry.

Area resident Don Daly says an incident in 1997 still haunts neighbours. Witnesses say a woman, covered in blood, ran into the street screaming for help in the middle of the night.

"About 3:00 in the morning she was stabbed, came running out of the house naked or something. That's all that happened, but there wasn't any follow-up that happened in the news," said Daly.

Should anyone from the public have information regarding the homicide or disappearance of a Vancouver street trade worker, please phone Crime Stoppers at 604-662-TIPS (8477) or the Missing Woman Tip line at 1-877-687-3377.