TheSt. Albert Canoe and Kayak Club is asking the public to keep an eye out for dozens of stolen boats.
A trailer containing more than 30 boats was stolen from a lot in St. Albert, where the club stores the boats. The boats are worth more than $50,000 and the team has spent years fundraising and collecting donations to pay for them.
The head coach of the club, Zak Mahmoudi, believes the boats weren’t the thieves primary target.
“I think they were interested in the trailer, and they took the whole trailer and probably they discovered there is a lot of competitive boats,” explained Mahmoudi.
Mahmoudi says the competitive nature of the boats will make them a hard sell because they are less stable than a standard recreational boat.
The theft is a blow for the club’s athletes. For Aiden Stock, the theft has hampered his chances of advancing up the ranks of the competitive kayaking world.
“I’m planning on going to nationals next year and Western Canada Games, and losing the boat makes it pretty hard to do that,” said Stock. “We set our boats up so they are personalized and I spend a lot of time with my boat.”
The club is holding out hope that the boats will be found soon. RCMP are asking anyone who spots the boats or trailer to contact them.
