B.C. Mounties found the truck involved in this weekend's theft of a jade boulder from a Cache Creek shop, but the huge slab of green stone is still missing.
The theft happened late Saturday, Dec. 19, when a group used an excavator on a flatbed trailer to lift the stone onto the trailer. It was all towed by a brown pickup truck.
The truck was seen heading toward Kamloops on Highway 1, and then was spotted on Deadman Vidette Road.
According to a press release from Ashcroft RCMP, Kamloops Mounties found the trailer abandoned in that area a bit later, but without the excavator or stone.
Yesterday (Dec. 21), Chase RCMP found a truck matching the description of the suspect's vehicle, but the stolen jade wasn't at the scene.
Police note the boulder, valued up to $50,000, would be difficult to hide.
Heidi Roy, manager of the shop the stone was stolen from, says that stolen jade is considered cursed by many. She also says the boulder isn't worth much broken up, as it's not jewelry quality.
"They may have jinxed themselves," Roy told Castanet this past weekend. "We can only hope and karma will get them in the end."
"The police are following up on several investigational avenues but hope the public can help," Sgt. Darren Angman of the Ashcroft RCMP says in the release.
Tips can be called in to Ashcroft RCMP at 250-453-2216 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
