'It's heartless': Custom axes stolen from Edmonton business
Axe Monkeys, an Edmonton business known for indoor axe throwing, dealt with a robbery that resulted in a $5,000 loss.
Dan Hudon, an axe maker also known as Dan the Axe Man, said he got a call at 5 a.m. on June 1 from an employee telling him Axe Monkeys had just been broken into. Hudon takes pride in the work that goes into carefully crafted axes, and feels the time lost is much greater than the financial loss.
“They broke in through the glass front door and basically went straight into my cabinet -- smashed it and cleaned me out,” he said. “They knew what they were coming in for.”
The axes were made by local axe crafter Dan, a senior citizen that has recently undergone a back surgery.
Dave Calhoun, owner of Axe Monkeys, said the theft is cruel.
“He puts his heart and soul into it. He’s got six, seven, 10, 40 hours into some pieces and now they are all gone,” said Calhoun. “To have someone break into a business that has already suffered enough loss with the pandemic and with a senior citizen like him, it’s heartless.”
“He spends lots of time and lots of hours making things perfect. He does a lot for the fire department here in Edmonton,” said Calhoun, describing the axes as beautiful pieces of artwork.
The robbery is described as “unbelievable” by Facility Manager Adam Yates. He also believes the robbers knew exactly what they were coming in for, explaining the theft took only a few minutes. According to police, who were called to the site by alarms, the robbers were believed to be wearing gloves making it difficult to track down those responsible for the stolen items.
“We are a small business. We’ve had our hard struggles through this pandemic – you know, being open and then being closed,” said Yates.
The hand-crafted axes on the showcase were meant to supplement Dan the Axe Man’s income.Dan has an additional showcase at Clareview Windsor Plywood
There is a GoFundMe page for Axe Monkeys to raise money to cover the losses.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Carlyle Fiset
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.