Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby – they’re two of the best players in the NHL, both hailing from Cole Harbour, N.S. That’s why a Halifax pub proudly hung up their signed jerseys to greet customers as they walk in. But, as Team Canada hopes to punch its ticket to the gold medal game in men’s hockey at the Winter Olympics, Big Leagues Brew Pub in Bayers Lake would call it a win just to get their jerseys back. The general manager received a call from one of her employees just after 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, shortly before closing, saying the jerseys had been stolen. “My staff member was bawling, she said we just got robbed,” says Natalie Langley. “She said a gentleman came in wearing a mask and took the jerseys out of the front lobby. A vehicle entered the parking lot and backed right up to the front door before someone got out of the passenger side and walked in. Surveillance videos appear to show someone entering the front vestibule, taking down one jersey, putting it in the vehicle, coming back in and taking the second one before leaving. It all happened in about 30 seconds. “It was so fast and they 100 per cent knew what they were doing,” she says. “They had to have been here before they did. They scoped it out. They came in, they drove to see who was in the building and then backed in.” No staff were hurt, but the video shows one employee running towards the front doors upon realizing – but it was just too late, as the vehicle fled. The jerseys are estimated to be worth about $4,000, but Langley figures the value could “skyrocket” if Canada wins gold. “It’s really disheartening,” says Langley. That’s both for the safety of her staff and the theft itself. “We hung them there to show our pride, our loyalty and our community how we feel about them,” she says. “These were not hung by a nail. They were secure brackets,” she says. “We can only assume that they (the thieves) have been in enough times to continuously loosen them as they go out, because there’s no way you would have been able to pull these off the wall.” Langley adds the jerseys were prized possessions. “We don’t have a lot of walls. We have a lot of windows, but not a lot of walls and those were a centerpiece for us,” says Langley. According to Langley, Crosby has even visited the longstanding neighbouring Big Leagues location in Cole Harbour several times over the years. On Thursday, Halifax Regional Police confirmed they’re investigating the theft but offered no new details about the investigation. Langley says there are a couple of leads police are pursuing. However, she is simply hoping the jerseys will be returned – especially ahead of the gold medal matchup Sunday morning, with the Bayers Lake pub opening at 9 a.m. for puck drop and offering a free pancake breakfast. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
