A diamond heist in the Metrotown area has left the Burnaby Neighbourhood House out thousands of dollars and lacking prizes for its upcoming gala fundraiser.
“I’m just really upset,” said Antonia Beck, executive director of the Burnaby Neighbourhood House. “We work really hard to help people and to keep everything going. It’s just upsetting.”
On Sunday morning, at about 12:30 a.m., thieves broke into the south neighbourhood house at 4460 Beresford St., close to the Metrotown SkyTrain Station. They got in by breaking open a locked box containing an electronic key, and once they had that, it was easy access. Once inside, they made off with a safe roughly the size of half a fridge that was so heavy, it took four men to install it, according to Beck. Inside that safe was a diamond worth $5,000 – it was the main prize in the Feb. 27 Diamond Ball Gala, an annual fundraiser for the neighbourhood house
“I can’t believe they moved it,” said Beck. “It’s kind of ironic, because the theatre show we’re having (at) the Diamond Ball Gala, … and there’s a show that our youth are doing, our youth alumni, and that’s their story line, that the diamond gets stolen.”
There were also gift certificates inside the safe that were meant to be prizes in a silent auction. The safe was visible from the neighbourhood house lobby, which makes Beck think the perpetrator could be someone who’s been in the building.
“It looked liked like they were looking for cash, because they pried open everyone’s desk drawers. If they were locked they broke them,” Beck said, adding that they also took money from a youth fundraiser. “They obviously didn’t know who they were stealing from or they don’t care.”
The neighbourhood house typically puts up a donated diamond as the main prize for the gala. Trio Diamond and Gold Jewellery on Kingsway donated the diamond for last year’s ball but couldn’t hand over another one this year, so last year’s winner donated the diamond back to the neighbourhood house.
The diamond is covered by insurance, but the neighbourhood house is still out $1,000 for the deductible, and all the other prizes are missing. In all, Beck estimated the loss and damage will costs $10,000 to $15,000. Beck said the Burnaby RCMP are investigating but don’t have any details to share. Beck also said there are cameras on the front door, where the thieves entered, so there may be photos available.
UPDATE: Someone has stepped forward to donate a new diamond. Read the latest here.
