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Twin totem stolen from school

A second totem pole has been taken from the front entryway of Sunrise Waldorf School, a year after an identical one disappeared.

“The first totem went missing in April of last year,” Head of School Kevin McDuff said. “We reported it to police but decided not to go public with it in the hopes of sparing the second totem. We are sad to say that the other one was just taken over this past Easter long weekend.”

The second totem pole was taken from the school on Lakeside Road sometime between April 18 and 22. They had stood on either side of the front door.

The totems were carved several years ago by a group of Sunrise teachers, guided by renowned Cowichan carver Herb Rice, as part of a professional development day workshop, and were refinished not long before the first pole went missing.

Police are hoping to recover the stolen totems.

“The investigation is ongoing and it is not known at this time if the thefts are related to similar thefts of two totem poles earlier this year from the Malahat Mountain Inn property in the south end,” said North Cowichan/ Duncan RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Krista Hobday.

Anyone with information about the stolen totems should contact the North Cowichan/ Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).



Kevin Rothbauer

About the Author: Kevin Rothbauer

Kevin Rothbauer is the sports reporter for the Cowichan Valley Citizen
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