By Canadian Press

A brief, incomplete history of strange Canadian industrial thefts

Feb 14, 2019 | 2:18 PM

Police are baffled after Newfoundland thieves made off with about 30,000 litres of unbottled iceberg water worth as much as $12,000. The unusual bounty, which was to be used to make vodka, was being stored in a warehouse in Port Union, N.L.

The unusual caper calls to mind other industrial thefts that have bewildered businesses and captured Canadians’ attention:

– EAST COAST CRUSTACEAN CAPERS

The lucrative fishery on Canada’s East Coast is increasingly known to attract thieves.

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Police reported 1,200 pounds of lobster were stolen from open pens at pounds in Port Medway, N.S., during the mornings of Dec. 23 and Jan. 1.

In July 2016, a trailer carrying frozen lobster was stolen from a plant in Grand Anse, N.B.

Earlier that year, 48 crates of premium-grade lobster were taken from an ocean-based pen in an overnight heist on Cape Sable Island, N.S.

– THE BLUEBERRY BANDIT

Hamilton police said a “blueberry bandit” made off in 2017 with a refrigerated tractor-trailer containing around $100,000 worth of the berries and other fruit.

Police sent out a tweet asking “Have you seen these berries?” and urging anyone with information to contact investigators.

The truck was later discovered without the trailer and fruit.

– THE MAPLE SYRUP HEIST

The now-infamous, uber-Canadian crime made international headlines after 2,700 tonnes of syrup valued at $18 million were stolen from a Saint-Louis-de-Blandford, Que., warehouse between 2011 and 2012.

The investigation was launched after it was discovered the thieves drained the barrels of their sweet syrup and replaced the contents with water.

A jury convicted three men in the theft in 2016.

– THE MISSING MONTREAL TOONIE TRUCK

In July 1996, thieves entered a Montreal railyard in broad daylight and drove off with a tractor-trailer carrying $3 million in toonies.

At the time, the Royal Canadian Mint called it the biggest theft of coins in Canada’s history.

The abandoned vehicle was later found without the 1.5 million coins inside.

– THE HAMILTON LETTUCE THEFT

Hamilton asked the public to “romaine calm” after the 2017 theft of $45,000 worth of lettuce.
Investigators were on the lookout for the stolen truck and tractor trailer containing the greens.

Police said the truck was driven to Toronto, where it was abandoned without the trailer or the sizable salad.

The Canadian Press