Al Capones propeller is on its way home to West Vancouver.
Investigators found the missing 140-kilogram brass blade, stolen from a Bay Street home Aug. 12, in a Vancouver suburb. They were led there by a tip from the public. Police are not saying yet which community it turned up in.
The propeller reportedly came from a boat once owned by the famed prohibition-era gangster and used for running rum between Canada and the United States. The vessel had wound up in service in British Columbia toward then end of the last century until it ran aground about 10 years ago, according to other media. It was eventually dismantled. The homeowner had kept the blade, valued at about $5,000, for historical reasons.
Investigators say the piece vanished from its home in the 6400-block of Bay Street some time between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Friday. The culprit would likely have required heavy equipment or several accomplices to move it, according to the owner. They were probably intending to sell it for scrap.
Police expected to return the propeller some time Monday afternoon. No arrests have been made.
In the wake of the incident, West Vancouver police are reminding the public to avoid storing metal in unsecured locations. Rising prices for copper and other metals have driven up demand on the black market in recent years, making them common targets for thieves.
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