Dinosaur bones, teeth stolen from South Vancouver shop
Posted August 25, 2023 7:56 pm.
Last Updated August 25, 2023 7:58 pm.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) says it’s looking for a man who allegedly stole $10,000 in artifacts from a rock and gem store.
The owner of the Rubble Rock and Gem tells CityNews this thief hasn’t just stolen priceless items like dinosaur fossils and teeth — he’s stolen his trust in customers as well.
Adam Kelliher says he became suspicious when the same man visited his store twice in May, spending 30 minutes inside each time before leaving without buying anything. After the second time, he checked the security cameras and saw the suspect had put something in his pocket.
“I ran after him, ran down the sidewalk, and I actually caught up with him, asked to see inside his pockets and there was nothing in his pocket… I didn’t take the time to look further and see later on he had crouched behind a cabinet and moved down and tucked it and put it in his bag there and he had put way more things in his bag,” he said.
Kelliher notes that the thief took “a whole crinoid plate” and put it in his bag.” As he explains, crinoids are 450 million year-old species, and an ancestor of the starfish.
He says, while the theft affects him and his finances, he’s lost trust in new customers and that hurts more and any financial loss.
“It’s like a dagger inside to keep welcoming people and wonder if they’re going to be the next one that does it. They’re going to be the next one to steal.”
On Friday, police released photos of the stolen fossils and the alleged thief — describing him as being approximately 5’7″ tall with a medium build, having short and clean-cut dirty-blonde hair.
#VPDNews: Do you recognize this man? He allegedly stole over $10,000 in merchandise from a South Vancouver rock and gem store on May 22. If you recognize him, please call 604-717-4022. https://t.co/l7VpaCuZ8b pic.twitter.com/7tGyjhtK6w
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) August 25, 2023
“Investigators believe the suspect likely took the items for his personal collection, rather than re-sale, as the authenticity would be difficult to verify,” said Cst. Tania Visintin.
The VPD asks anyone who recognizes him to call investigators at 604-717-4022.
