Massive jade boulder back on display at B.C. store after heist
A 3,000-pound Jade boulder that was stolen from a B.C. gift shop last year is now on display again.
The massive mineral is an iconic landmark in the village of Cache Creek, where it sat outside Cariboo Jade & Gifts for decades until thieves with an excavator stole it overnight shortly before last Christmas.
The thieves were caught on camera, and two suspects were identified, but so far, no charges have been laid.
Shortly after the theft, police recovered the thieves' truck and trailer, but not the boulder. It wasn't until after Christmas that someone spotted the stone dumped in a snowy ditch and notified authorities.
With help from another local business, the jade shop recovered the boulder and moved it to a "secure location," according to store manager Heidi Roy.
"At first, we weren't sure we were going to put it back (on display)," Roy told CTV News Vancouver on Friday. "We were sort of tainted by the whole thing and we thought, 'You know, how can we prevent it from being stolen again?' It was concreted in there."
The jade boulder is worth roughly $50,000, according to the RCMP, but Roy says the value of the piece is in its size. The jade itself is too low-quality for jewelry, according to Roy.
"We weren't going to bother putting it back, but so many people have been asking and coming in wanting to see it that we thought, 'Well, how can we do something that's a compromise?'" Roy said.
"That's when we decided to try to put it inside, which was easier said than done because it weighs 3,000 pounds," she added. "We had to have the floor checked out to see if it could hold it and figure out the logistics of moving it, which was quite an ordeal."
The boulder is now back on display at the store, cleaned and polished, but still bearing a few signs of its journey.
"It has some chipping along the side," Roy said. "There's not much you can do to repair that, so people can still see it, but it's kind of like showing the scars of its adventure."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
As storms moves across Texas, 1 child dies after being swept away in floodwaters
A child in Texas died Sunday after being swept away in floodwaters as storms swept across the state.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.