Thieves recently made off with a totem pole that was meant to bring hope and light to a hotel in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

The eight-foot tall totem pole was installed in the courtyard of the Stanley Hotel about a week ago.

Surveillance footage showed the thieves carrying it away late Thursday night.

Rik Mountain, who had spent a year carving the totem pole along with his friends in the hotel's common room, said it was "priceless."

"It meant a lot to me," Mountain told CTV News. "It made the hotel look more beautiful."

The totem pole depicted an eagle, raven, bear and killer whale.

"I don't know how they did it. Nobody can miss a totem pole walking down the street," Mountain said.

Mark Townsend of the Portland Hotel Society, which runs the hotel, told ctvbc.ca Saturday that the community is devastated.

"They've invested their love, care and time and emotion -- it's depressing," he said. "And there's enough to be depressed about."

Anyone with information is asked to call Vancouver police.