There was no power on in the light brown house with the garden gnomes in the front and graffiti-covered shed in the back.

Inside there was drug paraphernalia, sharp tools, paint balls and many cigarette butts littering the floor and a pile of stolen property.

And crawling through the mess, an eight-month-old boy.

The poorly-ventilated space was heavy with cigarette smoke.

Some people were there, but they were paying the child little attention, police said.

Officers discovered the child when they raided a residence in Surrey in the 15000 block of 88 Avenue last Friday.

Members of the Langley RCMP Street Enforcement Unit were tracking property stolen in a break and enter the day before from the 22700 block of 96 Avenue in Langley.

An ad on the internet led them to the Surrey site, where they discovered the infant.

The residence was described as "disgusting" by attending officers.

"It was dirty and dangerous and frankly unfit for a child of that age to be living there," said Langley RCMP Cpl. Holly Marks in a written statement issued Tuesday.

"The boy's parents were not home at the time and those charged with his care ... showed no care or concern for the boy."

The child is now in the care of the Ministry of Children and Families.

The 22-year-old father of the boy had dropped him off to visit with the child's grandmother who lives in the brown house.

When he returned with his wife about an hour later, the father was shocked to see police and demanded the return of his child.

He was told he could not have his son back until the ministry investigation was complete.

That's according to the young man's employer, who spoke to him after the police raid.

The father and mother were not aware how bad conditions inside the house were, said said Doug (who asked that his last name not be used).

"They didn't know."

The man, who runs an industrial truck cleaning company, happens to live near the house where the child was seized by police.

He said the house was constantly having garage sales and holding loud parties, and that he has more than once gone over to demand they turn down the sound at night.

Doug said the young father was a good employee, who was working his way up in the company and was even in line for another raise.

"He's very honest, reliable, and dependable," he said.

"I spoke to him and he knows he made a mistake."

dferguson@surreyleader.com