- A 500-pound stuffed bear was stolen from a resort in Canada, police told local media.
- An executive for the resort told The Globe and Mail that it runs 24-hour security every day.
- But the theft may have occurred on an extremely cold night when patrols were canceled, they said.
Police in Canada said they’re looking for a missing taxidermy polar bear that was stolen from a resort near the city of Edmonton.
Harry, the 500-pound stuffed bear, was nabbed from the Lionsheart Wellness Center at the Lily Lake Resort earlier this month, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police told The Globe and Mail.
Standing at about 10 to 12 feet, the towering bear was typically positioned on the resort’s second floor, until one day, staff noticed he was missing, the outlet reported.
Wanda Rowe, executive director of the center, told the outlet that the resort operates 24-hour security and believes the bear was specifically targeted for the heist.
“It had to be planned,” Rowe said. “It 100% had to be planned.”
The Lily Lake Resort reported the theft on January 22, and police believe the bear was stolen during a cold snap earlier in the month, the BBC reported. Temperatures in some areas around Edmonton dropped as low as minus 49 degrees Fahrenheit in early January.
Rowe told The Globe and Mail that security patrols were canceled on January 13 because of the cold and thinks the bear was stolen that night.
The resort also had a pair of stuffed raccoons stolen in August, and the total cost of all three animals was about $26,000, the BBC reported, citing police.
It’s not immediately clear if the two thefts are related, police said.
Taxidermy polar bears go for as high as $34,000 on some websites.
Police told The Globe and Mail that they hope someone will see the polar bear for sale on a website or somewhere in town.
“That would stick out right away, If you saw that anywhere, right?” RCMP Constable Kelsey Davidge told the outlet.
