Mann's Missing Medals: An Inside Job?

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

Former Boxing Great Harold Mann says his first thought when told his four gold medals had been stolen from The Exploration Place at the end of May was, "’Oh my god, how could that happen?’ They’re inside there and there’s surveillance cameras and stuff - how could it happen?"

Speaking at last week’s news conference to announce a $5,000.00 reward for the safe return of his medals, Mann went on to say, "So they’re thinking, I don’t know what to say, it’s just, probably, an inside job, or, I don’t know what to say.  I just hope they find out who it is and get them (the medals) back, that’s the big thing."

 The Exploration Place’s Executive Director, Tracy Calogheros, admits, "An awful lot of people have speculated that it looks like an inside job, but then, you know, when you’re doing any kind of statistics and you look at theft - 90-percent of it is someone who is connected to the place it is stolen from, whether it’s a museum or a jewelry store.  I mean, other than sort of petty shoplifting, it’s usually someone who has keys and access and knowledge."

Calogheros (shown at right) says the museum has not launched an internal investigation.  "I’m not doing the investigation, the RCMP is and they did give all of my staff questionnaires to fill out.  Beyond that, it’s in their hands."

She does say the theft has prompted changes in the facility’s operations, “There was always a policy in place that staff aren’t to be in the building alone and that’s not only a security issue for items in the building, but for staff’s personal safety when they’re leaving.  And that had gotten lax here and there – I guess, it had just been one of those policies that sits on the books and so we’re definitely enforcing that now - that it’s two staff in the building at all times.”

Security has been stepped up, as well...

“We’ve re-calibrated the cameras in the Sports Hall Gallery and ensured that they’re aimed well and nothing’s been bumped – those sorts of things.”

The museum is also looking at upgrading the quality of the existing cameras and adding more to other areas of the building.  There’s also been a change in policy for evening rentals - a third staff member has been added, who’s sole responsibility will be patrolling the gallery.

Calogheros says after the theft on May 29th, she phoned around to a number of her colleagues seeking any similar stories and advice.  She says Bill Barkley, then CEO of the Royal B.C. Museum, told her about a knife being stolen from a travelling exhibit at the provincial museum - it was some time later that a mother brought her son in with a bag and the knife was in it. 

“I think the point of  his story was, he was trying to reassure me that very often, with these kinds of thefts, they do wend their way back to where they should be.” 

She says she’s put a lot of stock into Barkley’s words, given his 28-years of experience, and she’s very hopeful Harold Mann’s medals will come back.

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