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BODY OF SURREY TEEN FOUND IN TRUNK OF STOLEN CAR

Vancouver police have identified the victim of the city's latest homicide as a missing teen from Surrey.

Police say the body of 18-year-old Sachdeep Singh Dhoot was found in the trunk of a stolen vehicle yesterday afternoon.

Investigators have confirmed that Dhoot was reported missing in Surrey last week.

They say based on information so far, it does not appear the murder was random.

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POLICE SAY INVESTIGATION INTO COQUITLAM TEEN'S DEATH NEEDS PUBLIC'S HELP

Vancouver police are making another appeal for witnesses to come forward in their investigation of a gunfight that claimed the life of the 23-year-old target as well as an innocent 15-year-old boy.

Kevin Whiteside was fatally shot last Saturday night while a Coquitlam teen who was with his parents in a passing vehicle was hit by a stray bullet and died later in hospital.

Const. Jason Doucette says police have collected and reviewed video and determined there are witnesses they still need to talk to, particularly those who were at the Indochine Kitchen and Bar between 8 and 9:30 p.m.

Police say the investigation is a top priority and detectives are working around the clock to identify witnesses and people with knowledge of what they say was a tragic incident.

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FARM PROVIDING TREATMENT FOR HOMELESS AND ADDICTED TO CLOSE

A Vancouver Island farm that cultivated a unique live-work program to help the homeless is shutting down.

The society that operates Woodwynne Farms in Central Saanich issued a statement Thursday saying financial backers have withdrawn their support after the Agricultural Land Commission denied a request to build additional housing for up to 40 people.

The farm, which offered a grassroots treatment program for up to eight homeless people or those recovering from drug addictions, is to be sold.

Central Saanich Mayor Ryan Windsor says the main concern now is finding a safe and stable environment for those still living at the farm.

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VANCOUVER A HIT FOR MOVIE MAKERS

Mayor Gregor Robertson says it's great to hear that Vancouver remains in the top two places in North America for movie makers to live and work.

Movie Maker Magazine puts Vancouver behind only Atlanta in its latest annual ratings, saying the city's "neo-Hollywood reputation" is well earned.

Robertson says the city's reputation as an international hub for film and television has grown in recent years and the industry now hosts over 400 productions and provides about 19,000 jobs per year.

City officials add it's important to recognize that the award also belongs to all of the municipalities in the region, from Port Moody to Surrey and Squamish, which support the film industry.

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NO FREE PASS FOR FARE EVADER

Vancouver police say a 53-year-old man who decided to piggyback through a fare gate in plain view of officers ended up travelling straight to jail.

Police say the man was stopped when officers spotted him following another passenger through a fare gate without paying on Wednesday.

When officers checked police databases, they found the man was wanted on eight outstanding warrants from five jurisdictions in the Metro Vancouver area for charges including theft under $5,000.

Police say Walter Craft has made his first court appearance and been remanded in custody until his next appearance on Jan. 25.

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By The Canadian Press

News from © The Canadian Press, 2018