'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
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.