Rare Canadian gemstone stolen from Gastown store
Posted December 23, 2013 1:57 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Vancouver police are trying to track down a valuable gemstone that has gone missing in a Friday morning break-in at a Gastown store.
Sergeant Randy Fincham says the gem is considered a Canadian national treasure and can’t be removed from the country without applying to the government.
“What this is, is an ammonite fossil that has been around for millions of years, and what it’s done is over the years it has reformed itself into an ammolite.”
At 11 inches, police say it’s the size of a shoe and is worth about half a million dollars.
“Obviously it has a limited retail value because it’s fairly distinct,” says Fincham. “So it would be something that…a collector possibly that would look at purchasing something like this, as it is such a unique item or a unique gem. It’s not traditionally what we refer to as a gem as in a small rock or a small jewel.”
Fincham says the gem was the only item taken after a store window was smashed early Friday morning at Rocks and Gems Canada on Water Street.
