Vance Theoret was paid a 鈥渂ackhanded compliment鈥� last week when two of his sculptures were stolen from a 琉璃神社 art gallery.

Theoret, 100 Mile House鈥檚 resident soapstone carver, said the theft occurred around 2 a.m. Saturday morning at Gallery 421. When he called the gallery that weekend, co-owner Ken Moen jokingly told him 鈥淚 sold a couple of your sculptures鈥� before explaining what had happened.

鈥淚 said to him 鈥楾hat鈥檚 not the way I like to sell my work,鈥欌�� Theoret said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always a backhanded compliment when someone is willing to take the chance of getting caught to steal your work.鈥�

While he鈥檚 upset by the theft, Theoret said his loss is small compared with the artwork stolen from other artists. All told the thieves made off with about $70,000 worth of art, mostly bronze sculptures by his friend Vilem Zach from Calgary. The thieves busted into the gallery, located at 560 Raymer Avenue, using a yellow crowbar before escaping with 11 pieces of fine art.

Moen, who鈥檚 owned Gallery 421 for three years, said the thieves pried the front door open with a crowbar and spent less than four minutes in the store. They took seven works belonging to Zach and fellow bronze sculptor Michael Hermesh, two of Theoret鈥檚 soapstone carvings and some blown glass pieces by Jeff Holmwood.

鈥淚t was very targeted. On their first trip into the gallery they got the pieces they were targeting at the back of the gallery. The second time in they went to the middle of the gallery and the third time in they grabbed pieces right by the front door,鈥� Moen said. 鈥淭hat alarm didn鈥檛 phase them at all, they knew how quickly they were going to be in and out.鈥�

Theoret said his two pieces are worth $700 and $400 respectively.

This isn鈥檛 the first time Theoret鈥檚 work has been stolen but he said it鈥檚 still upsetting, especially in a town like 琉璃神社. Moen told him he鈥檚 in the process of alerting all the secondary markets in Western Canada where the art could be resold.

鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 not traumatic as it would be for Ken and Kelly, the gallery owners, and for my friend Vilem, but sometimes this happens,鈥� Theoret said.

Despite the theft, Moen said they feel lucky there was no vandalism in addition to the theft. No paintings were slashed with knives and no windows had to be replaced. He said they鈥檒l add some more security cameras outside the store and reinforce the door to prevent further theft.

鈥淲e wish Vance the best. It鈥檚 unfortunate some of his pieces were stolen but we know he鈥檒l be able to carve us some more,鈥� Moen said.

Gallery owner Kelly Hanna told Black Press that 琉璃神社 RCMP is currently looking for the two individuals. The first man is identified as a 5鈥�10鈥�, medium-build individual, who was wearing a grey hoodie, blue pants and white shoes. The other thief is being labeled as a 5鈥�6鈥� male, who was seen wearing a dark hoodie and black Adidas shoes.

Hanna says that the stolen art weighs a total of 315 pounds. Saturday鈥檚 heist marks the second time in as many years that Gallery 421 has been the subject of such an incident.

patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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