Edmonton shoe shop 'ransacked' in brazen robbery, up to $30K stolen
An Edmonton shoe shop is estimating a loss of about $30,000 after a robbery late last week.
Shane Breau, the owner of the Shoe Shine Shack, said 30 pairs of shoes were taken Friday morning after three people smashed out his store window.
“Some of them were collectors items that customers brought in for us to sell,” Breau explained. “Some of these shoes they purchased for around $300 and with the way the resell market works, they’re selling them for around $600 to $700 depending on the shoe.”
Breau told CTV News Edmonton replacing the stolen shoes isn’t just the cost of retail, it’s actually the price of what they would go for on the market.
“They go up and down like the stock market,” he said.
But for others, the robbery also represents a loss in sentimental value.
“Sometimes you’re not able to put a price on that,” he said. “Some of these shoes may have belonged to their parents, who may be deceased.”
“A lot of these shoes are very valuable to the clients whether it’s just their shoes or they belong to somebody in their family. So we’re trying to put a dollar amount on these items and it’s quite difficult.”
Shane Breau, owner of the Shoe Shine Shack pulled up surveillance footage of the Friday morning robbery. He said about $30,000 in goods was stolen.
Breau has been in business for four years and said this is one of the “more stressful” things he’s ever had to deal with.
“I started this business from an idea to where we are today,” he told CTV News Edmonton.
“We’ve donated thousands of shoes to the homeless community here in Edmonton and it’s very unfortunate this has happened to us right before Christmas because we do need to replace all these shoes for our customers and I’m trying to do everything I can to keep my employees in work,” he said.
Most of the stolen shoes were from the front window display featuring Louis Vuitton and Yeezy’s. Breau said it was completely “ransacked.”
So far five pairs of the shoes have been returned, according to Breau. However, he said Edmontonians should be wary if they see high-end footwear without a box up for sale.
“Not many people are buying shoes over $500 without a box,” he said.
“If you do see any of these shoes, especially with tags on them and no box included, you can almost guarantee that these shoes are a stolen item.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.