An owner has been reunited with his much-loved canoe after Victoria police officers and the Canadian Coast Guard chased down a suspected thief who was paddling the green vessel down the Gorge Waterway Monday.
On Aug. 14, officers received a report of stolen canoe spotted tied to a sailboat that was anchored in the Gorge Waterway. The owner of the canoe told police he had owned it since the 1980s and used it to circumnavigate Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii. It is of immense sentimental value, he told them.
Officers went to the Gorge Waterway but couldn’t find the canoe.
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On Aug. 16, officers were told once again that the green vessel had been spotted in the Gorge Waterway. This time, officers and the Canadian Coast Guard patrolled down the waterway and located a suspect travelling in the stolen canoe. Officers told him he was under arrest for stolen property, but he paddled ashore and fled on foot.
Officers recovered the canoe and returned it to the owner. They have identified the suspect and will be seeking a warrant for his arrest.
Anyone with information can contact the VicPD report desk at 250-995-7654, ext. 1, or report anonymously to Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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