$10,000 autographed Wayne Gretzky jersey stolen from Kelowna, BC store
An autographed $10,000 Wayne Gretzky jersey was one of many items stolen from a sports memorabilia store in downtown Kelowna, BC, according to the RCMP.
In a press release, RCMP says they received a call at 2:10 a.m. Tuesday morning reporting a break-in at Player’s Choice Sports at 470 Cawston Ave.
Police released a photo of the suspect, who they said broke into the store by smashing the front window with a hammer.
Store co-owner Jason Wobshall says he’s still compiling a list of stolen items, but among them is an Indianapolis Racers jersey signed by Gretzky. The hockey legend played eight games for the Racers of the World Hockey Association in 1978 before joining the Edmonton Oilers.
Wobshall says he still has the certificate to prove the authenticity of Gretzky’s signature. He says the shirt is valued at $10,000 as signed jerseys are rare.
He adds that several boxes of sports memorabilia worth about $20,000 were also stolen.
“They’re being stolen like that really sucks,” he said.
“The Last Kick in the Butt”
Player’s Choice Sports has been vandalized many times during its 18-year history, including a broken window last November, Wobshall says.
“When we got the notification [that] said the door had been forced open, it was a new one for us,” he said.
Latest data from Statistics Canada shows that Kelowna had a crime severity rating of 122.29 in 2021, a higher rate than Vancouver (81.64), Victoria (71.45) and Abbotsford-Mission (78.24).
Despite the costs associated with repairs, Wobshall says he never wanted to make an insurance claim because it would only increase his premiums.
“Like so many small businesses, we just eat this,” he said. “We weren’t surprised at all because [vandalism and break-ins are] exactly what happens here with every business downtown.”
Wobshall hopes Tuesday’s burglary was “the last kick in the butt” before his shop moves to a new location outside the city centre. A soft opening of the new location at 310 Banks Road is planned for March 1, he says.
Meanwhile, RCMP is asking the public for help in identifying the suspect.
“A theft like this causes immense financial damage to a small local business in our community and the RCMP will use every investigative tool available to find and arrest those responsible,” Kelowna RCMP Media Officer Const said. Mike Della-Paolera said in a written statement.
