Between November, 2021 and March, 2022, approximately $100,000 worth of Wayne Gretzky hockey memorabilia were stolen from a residence in the Shellbrook/Ahtahkakoop Detachment area. Shellbrook/Ahtahkakoop RCMP began investigating after a report was received in early April, 2022.
Shellbrook/Ahtahkakoop RCMP has been actively investigating the theft ever since. On February 18, 2023, a search warrant was executed at a residence located on the 400 block of 2nd Avenue East in Shellbrook, SK.
Police officers conducted a search of the residence and recovered a large quantity of stolen hockey memorabilia, as well as other items previously and separately reported stolen to police including a snowmobile, trailer and pick-up truck. There are still some memorabilia items outstanding – at this time we don't have the specifics of this and the police investigation is ongoing.
"We began investigating this theft nearly a year ago and given the prevalence of online "buy and sell" sales, we didn't know for sure if any of the stolen memorabilia items would be recovered," shares S/Sgt. Shannon Haggarty, Shellbrook/Ahtahkakoop RCMP Detachment Commander. "This is an excellent example of how investigations take time to complete. It was continued, dedicated efforts on the part of RCMP investigators that resulted in charges laid and ultimately, items recovered from multiple different theft investigations."
As a result of this investigation, 41-year-old Derek Herzog, from Shellbrook, SK, has been charged with Possession of stolen property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Shellbrook RCMP thank the Community Safety Officer in Shellbrook for their assistance with this investigation.