Police say ‘family friend took advantage’ of Gretzky family’s trust — $500K in stolen Great One memorabilia recovered
The items stolen from Walter Gretzky's home this summer - gloves, jerseys, sticks and more, representing key moments in one of the country's most illustrious hockey stories - might have been memorabilia to others.
Yes, they might have been worth more than half a million dollars in the market place.
For the family, though, they are beloved keepsakes and more valuable than any dollar figure could express. To them, these missing mementoes of a historic career and a cherished son's achievement were priceless.
Wayne Gretzky's 1997 all-star game jersey. Several sticks signed by the Great One. A plaque representing Wayne's 1983-84 Hart Trophy as NHL MVP - the year he won his first Stanley Cup.
They were taken from the same Brantford home where Wayne honed his skills as a youth on a backyard rink maintained by his father.
So when the police in three jurisdictions, starting with Brantford, recovered the vast majority of the items and laid charges against two individuals, a development announced to the public on Tuesday, Dec. 15, the news was answered with an outpouring of gratitude.
On behalf of our family, I would like to thank the Brantford Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for everything they have done regarding this investigation," said Glen Gretzky, Walter's son and spokesperson for the Gretzky family. I would like to sincerely thank every member of the team; the professionalism, dedication and support they have shown has been greatly appreciated."
The theft came to the attention of the Brantford police in August, said lead investigator Staff Sgt. Keith Tollar of the Brantford police. That's when members of the Gretzky family informed them the items were missing.
Based on the information and during the course of the investigation it became clear we were going to need the assistance of partners provincially and nationally," said Tollar, due to the multi-jurisdictional nature of the case, with stolen goods potentially moving from province to province.
So the OPP and the RCMP were brought in to join the effort, and what resulted, Tollar added, was an outstanding model of collaborative policing and a sterling example of what interforce co-operation can achieve.
A family friend took advantage" of their trust, Tollar explained, detailing what the police learned as their work progressed. There was no break and enter and no one was injured in the commission of the robbery, he said. There didn't have to be. The person was known to the family.
Tollar said that leads in the case piled up, as the team interviewed more and more people, and also through social media.
The trail ultimately led them to execute search warrants at five residences in Ontario and Alberta. It was at a residence in Alberta where, upon searching, the team discovered the vast majority of the missing items.
The house, Tollar said, did not belong the person who has been charged with the theft but to someone who had purchased the items from him.
It was good to be able to tell the man Tollar calls Canada's best-known hockey dad" that most of the items had been recovered.
Glen Gretzky, brother of hockey great Wayne, said the police still have the items as they're likely considered evidence.
They were just amazing," he said of the police. It's not easy being a police officer, the stress of the work, and they really were absolutely fantastic" to deal with as the case unfolded.
A 58-year-old man from Oakville has been charged with theft over $5,000 and possession over $5,000.
A second individual, unrelated to the theft investigation, was also charged after police discovered evidence of fraud involving Gretzky memorabilia. A 58-year-old woman from Brockville, Ont., was charged with fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.
Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator. Reach him via email: jmahoney@thespec.com