'A targeted hit': Owner of Vancouver Island art gallery estimates $20K losses after break-in, theft

The owner of Coastal Carvings Fine Art Gallery in Coombs, B.C., believes a recent break-in and theft at the business was targeted.

The theft occurred sometime overnight on March 4, the evening after owner Jeremy Humpherville says several men were perusing the objects that were later stolen.

Three pieces of art were swiped from the Indigenous art gallery, Oceanside RCMP said Wednesday, including a raven mask, a burl turning art piece, and a limited edition metal killer whale.

"In 24 seconds my gallery had $20,000 in direct theft and damage to it," said Humpherville on Thursday.

Two of the three stolen items are shown. (Oceanside RCMP)

The owner says he met with clients on Friday who were interested in the exact same pieces that were stolen, and that they had repeatedly mentioned the artworks, but said they couldn't afford them at the time.

That night, the gallery was broken into, with the thieves breaking through a wall of the building to get inside.

One man grabbed two of the pieces that were stolen without looking at anything else, Humpherville says, based on surveillance video from inside the gallery.

"The second suspect went straight to the other piece of art, read the tag with his flashlight, and grabbed it," he said.

Humpherville says the whole incident lasted less than 24 seconds.

The owner says the men were inside the shop for less than 30 seconds, based on surveillance video. (Coastal Carvings Fine Art Gallery)

"They were so determined and on a mission that they took siding off and went through the wall of the gallery," he said.

Humpherville says he's not the only victim of the crime. Ten artists who have work at his gallery have also been affected, he said.

"Being an artist is not necessarily the easiest way to make a living and I feel for everyone in my gallery that has had this loss," he said.

"It was a targeted hit," Humpherville added. "From the video, they went straight to those pieces and left straight after."

Anyone with information on the break-in, or on the whereabouts of the art pieces, is asked to contact Oceanside RCMP at 250-947-6537.