Ron Shore‘s treasure, a solid gold, diamond-encrusted 18 pound statue of an eagle that holds the glorious Atocha star, which is a 400 year-old emerald, was stolen Sunday night.
The 30 centimetre-high statue is estimated at betweem $5 and $6 million (Cdn) and was created by artist, Kevin Peters. Originally part of Ron Shore’s concept for a book, The World’s Greatest Treasure Hunt: Quest for the Golden Eagle, it’s purpose changed.
Shore, who according to his website, is the world’s “ultimate treasure hunter”, was hoping to raise $25 million (Cdn) from the sale of the statue, to provide funding for breast cancer research, in memory of his sister-in-law. Diagnosed with the disease when she was pregnant, she refused the treatment to save her baby, and died two days after her daughter’s birth.
“I’m feeling pretty bad, I can tell you that right now,” Shore said at a press conference Monday. “We were hoping that through the sale of the Eagle, we would be able to have a yearly, ongoing breast cancer benefit concert in Vancouver. Without the Eagle, we don’t have any financial means of being able to do it.”
The statue had been on display at the Art! Vancouver exhibit, at the Vancouver Convention Centre for four days
Stolen “on the street” the statue was taken by one thief from Shore’s hands as he was transferring it to another vehicle. In resisting the robber, Shore was dragged for several feet. Injured in the attempt to hold onto the statue he was treated in hospital, and later released. There was a security person accompanying Shore at the time of the theft.
Police in Delta, British Columbia are now investigating.
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