[Bcma-l] FYI Subject: Canada. Break-in at Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack Historical Society's museum. Thief makes off with priceless war artifacts.

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 09:42:24 -0800

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Subject: Canada. Break-in at Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack Historical
Society's museum. Thief makes off with priceless war artifacts.

Historic items stolen. Thief makes off with priceless war artifacts.
Mike Chouinard. The Times. November 07, 2008.

Someone with no appreciation of Remembrance Day broke into the Canadian
Forces Base Chilliwack Historical Society's museum this week to steal a
number of military artifacts.

Society president Jim Harris locked up the building at 45905 Hocking
Ave. on Monday afternoon just before 4 p.m. When it was re-opened
Wednesday morning, the group discovered someone had broken into the site
and made off with some important memorabilia.

"It's our first break-in actually," Harris said. "This is stuff we've
collected to remember our fallen heroes."

The group has recently hosted about 1,000 students in anticipation of
Remembrance Day.

Among the items taken were a 1958 six-shot Colt revolver, an eight-shot
German p-38 WWII Walther, a 1790 Cap and Ball single shot pistol, a 1935
Cap and Ball single shot pistol, an eight-shot Arizmendi-Gorneaga
pistol, a CZ27 Czechoslovakian pistol, two German daggers, and two
medals. The firearms taken are all deactivated.

"The items taken were small, easily packed into a backpack or
something," Harris said.

He figures the break-in happened either Monday or Tuesday night when it
was dark outside. There was an amount of cash on hand that was
untouched, so he thinks the thief did not turn on the lights but instead
used a flashlight to comb through a few rooms where an alarm was not
working.

"They came through a window that wasn't visible from the street," Harris
said, adding that the alarm problem is being fixed.

The police figure the culprit might try to sell the items on the street,
probably for much less than they are worth. While this was the first
time the society has been robbed, Chilliwack RCMP spokesperson Const.
Lea-Anne Dunlop said similar memorabilia is occasionally stolen, though
most often from residences.

"From time to time, we do have items like that stolen," she said.
"There's no thought to the significance it may have for you and your
family."

Police estimate the value of the items taken to be approximately $6,000,
adding they are priceless pieces of history and a great loss to the
historical society.

Harris is hopeful the items will be returned and has contacted pawn
shops, weapons dealers and the local museum to be on the lookout for
anyone trying to sell the artifacts, which have identifying features.

The RCMP are actively investigating this break-in and ask anyone with
information to contact them at 604-792-4611. Information can also be
provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online
at www.chilliwackcrimestoppers.ca. An award of up to $2,000 may be
offered for information leading to the return of the items. People can
also call Harris at 604-703-4828.

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<DIV>Subject:&nbsp;Canada.=20
Break-in at Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack Historical Society's museum. =
Thief=20
makes off with priceless war artifacts. 
<DIV> 
Historic items stolen. Thief makes off with priceless =
war=20
artifacts. Mike Chouinard. The Times. November 07, =
2008. Someone with=20
no appreciation of Remembrance Day broke into the Canadian Forces Base=20
Chilliwack Historical Society's museum this week to steal a number of =
military=20
artifacts. Society president Jim Harris locked up the building at =
45905=20
Hocking Ave. on Monday afternoon just before 4 p.m. When it was =
re-opened=20
Wednesday morning, the group discovered someone had broken into the site =
and=20
made off with some important memorabilia. "It's our first =
break-in=20
actually," Harris said. "This is stuff we've collected to remember our =
fallen=20
heroes." The group has recently hosted about 1,000 students in=20
anticipation of Remembrance Day. Among the items taken were a =
1958=20
six-shot Colt revolver, an eight-shot German p-38 WWII Walther, a 1790 =
Cap and=20
Ball single shot pistol, a 1935 Cap and Ball single shot pistol, an =
eight-shot=20
Arizmendi-Gorneaga pistol, a CZ27 Czechoslovakian pistol, two German =
daggers,=20
and two medals. The firearms taken are all deactivated. "The =
items taken=20
were small, easily packed into a backpack or something," Harris =
said. He=20
figures the break-in happened either Monday or Tuesday night when it was =
dark=20
outside. There was an amount of cash on hand that was untouched, so he =
thinks=20
the thief did not turn on the lights but instead used a flashlight to =
comb=20
through a few rooms where an alarm was not working. "They came =
through a=20
window that wasn't visible from the street," Harris said, adding that =
the alarm=20
problem is being fixed. The police figure the culprit might try =
to sell=20
the items on the street, probably for much less than they are worth. =
While this=20
was the first time the society has been robbed, Chilliwack RCMP =
spokesperson=20
Const. Lea-Anne Dunlop said similar memorabilia is occasionally stolen, =
though=20
most often from residences. "From time to time, we do have items =
like=20
that stolen," she said. "There's no thought to the significance it may =
have for=20
you and your family." Police estimate the value of the items =
taken to be=20
approximately $6,000, adding they are priceless pieces of history and a =
great=20
loss to the historical society. Harris is hopeful the items will =
be=20
returned and has contacted pawn shops, weapons dealers and the local =
museum to=20
be on the lookout for anyone trying to sell the artifacts, which have=20
identifying features. The RCMP are actively investigating this =
break-in=20
and ask anyone with information to contact them at 604-792-4611. =
Information can=20
also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or =
online=20
at www.chilliwackcrimestoppers.ca. An award of up to $2,000 may be =
offered for=20
information leading to the return of the items. People can also call =
Harris at=20
604-703-4828. </DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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