$3,500 worth of hockey gear stolen from team with disabilities in Colwood, B.C.

Jackets stolen from the South Island Ravens hockey team. (Courtesy: RCMP)

Thousands of dollars worth of hockey equipment has been stolen from a team of players with developmental disabilities in southern Vancouver Island, according to police.

In a release issued Monday, the West Shore RCMP said the hockey equipment was stolen from a storage room at the Juan De Fuca Recreation Centre in Colwood between Sept. 28 and Oct. 19.

Among the stolen items were 10 pairs of ice skates, 10 team jackets, two sets of goalie gear and two pairs of goalie skates, collectively worth around $3,500.

The stolen gear belongs to the South Island Ravens, a Greater Victoria community hockey team that has been providing opportunities for players with developmental disabilities since 2012.

“This theft is heartbreaking for our players and families,” said Gus Ascroft, general manager and co-founder of the hockey club.

“Our program is built on community support and inclusion—losing this gear affects our ability to get players on the ice.”

Anyone who has any information regarding the theft is asked to contact the West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at either their website or by phone, at 1-800-222-8477.