About three-quarters of the coveted collection of Wayne Gretzky memorabilia was found nearly a year after it was reported stolen, according to the Saskatchewan RCMP.
The theft was first reported to the RCMP in April 2022. A collection worth $100,000 was believed to have been brought out of a country garden where he was kept between November 2021 and March 2022.
In an update to its investigation, the RCMP said the memorabilia was found after a search warrant was carried out Saturday at a house on the 400 block of Second Avenue East in Shellbrook, Sask.
A snowmobile, trailer and pickup truck that had been separately reported stolen were also found, according to the RCMP.
Some of the items first reported stolen were: 19 signed Wayne Gretzky jerseys, Autographed photos, pucks and sticks, and nearly 10,000 hockey cards.
“We began investigating this theft almost a year ago, but given the prevalence of online ‘buy and sell’ sales, we are not sure if the stolen memorabilia will be recovered. ,” said Shellbrook-Ahtahkakoop RCMP Detachment S/Sgt. Shannon Haggerty said in a news release:
“This is a great example of how investigations take time to complete. Continuous and dedicated efforts on the part of RCMP investigators resulted in prosecutions and ultimately multiple different theft investigations. items have been recovered from,” Haggarty said.
When the theft was reported, a man who had amassed a large collection over the years took to social media to plead for its return.
Aron Gratias wrote in the post, “Most of the items were personally signed for me, along with autographed photos of me and my family’s faces.
“This collection was worth more than just money to me. It was precious and a real passion. It was never meant to be sold. I intended.”
Shellbrook’s Derek Herzog, 41, has been charged with possession of criminally stolen property worth more than $5,000.
He is due to appear in court in Sherbrooke on April 4th.
