RCMP display stolen artifacts
Posted Jan 25, 2013 03:30:56 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a number of historical artifacts recovered from a home in Fall River.
RCMP had some of the items on display today in Cole Harbour, including a painting of the Schooner estimated to be worth up to $40,000, a gas mask believed to be from WWI, and books by Charles Darwin.
Sgt. Colin MacLean says the investigation is a fairly large task that will take time.
“We believe this is going to take us several months to work through all of the exhibits, determine where they came from, and locate the victims and owners, ” says MacLean.
One particular item that stood out today was the top half of a suit of armor, when asked how people could get away with stealing items such as this, Dalhousie Archivist Michael Mooseburger says most small museums and archives are only run by one person.
“They have limited resources, so if you’re looking to steal something it wouldn’t be that difficult, especially if you’re working with other individuals,” explains Mooseburger.
An investigation began in July after police stopped a car during a traffic stop, which resulted in the seizure of a letter written by Major General James Wolfe dating back to 1758, that was apparently stolen from the archives at Dalhousie years ago.
Mooseburger says when the letter returns to the archives, people will still be able to view and handle it like before, because that is the purpose of the archives..
51 year old John Mark Tillman was arrested on January 18th and will appear in court on Thursday, January 31st to face charges of possession of stolen property.
For more pictures of the items, you can visit http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ns/index-eng.htm.
