Police search of woods may be linked to Oland death

Saint John police searched another property in the neighbouring suburb of Rothesay on Friday, but wouldn't confirm whether it's related to last week's death of prominent New Brunswick businessman Richard Oland.

Fourteen officers with the major crime unit spent the morning combing a wooded area next to a ballfield at the Bill McGuire community centre on Shore Road, an area known locally as the Renforth wharf.

Sgt. Glenn Hayward would say only that the search is related to a "major investigation."

Officers didn't appear to be carrying anything when they emerged from the woods about 12:30 p.m. AT, after about four hours of scouring the area. Officials said no other searches were planned for the day.

Area residents have seen police dogs searching the samearea at least twice since Oland was found dead in his Saint John office just over a week ago.

Kayak instructor Emily Benson saw officers lookingthrough garbage bins at the nearby Renforth beacha couple of days ago.

"A lot of people in the community have noticed it myself and the lifeguards and some of the other people that work around the area," she said. "I've just seen people walking around, checking things out just looking around,searching for something, I'm notquite sure what."

Police haven't offered any comment on previous searches of the area, but Rothesay police confirmed thatthe searches werenot related to any oftheir investigations.

On Thursday, police executed a search warrant a short distance away from the centre at the home of Oland's only son, Dennis Oland, on Gondola Point Road.

Oland, a financial adviser with Wood Gundy in Saint John, was reportedly questionedextensively by police after his father's death, as was his mother, Connie Oland.

The body of 69-year-old Richard Oland was discovered in his Saint John office on Canterbury Street on July 7.

Police have said he was the victim of a homicide and likely knew his killer.

Haywardwouldn't say whether Thursday's search was related to the homicide investigation either.

Officers spent several hours at the home and hauled away several boxes and bags. The search appeared to be over on Friday. A security car was blocking the driveway, where a wooden sign reads "Private. Friends Welcome." The morning paper remained uncollected.