A 44-year-old Alert Bay man is in custody after a carved bowl and a rattle were stolen from the gift shop of the U’mista Centre on Cormorant Island, east of Port McNeill.
Alert Bay RCMP responded to a break-in at the centre, which is trying to ensure the survival of the cultural heritage of the Kwakwaka’wakw, on Wednesday night.
A black and tan bowl with two figures and a light blue, red and black rattle in the shape of a face, made of alder with acrylic paint and abalone inlay, were stolen. They have not been recovered, said Cpl. Don Birch.
The RCMP initially believed the stolen items were historical artifacts and were concerned they would be sold to a gallery or private collector. They urged anyone with information about the stolen items to contact police.
The security system at the centre helped police identify a suspect, Birch said.
This story has been updated with this correction: Cormorant Island is east of Port McNeill, not west.
