Precious war medals stolen from a late soldier’s family home nearly 25 years ago have finally been returned.
In the late 1980s, First World War military medals belonging to Canadian Pte. Robert McNay were stolen during a home burglary.
McNay’s family thought the medals were lost forever, until the York Regional Police informed them that their father’s medals had been recovered following an extensive police investigation.
McNay’s son Ken said he was shocked when he first heard his father’s war medals had been found.
“It’s amazing I tell ya,” he said. “These guys are diligent.”
Dona Crawford, McNay’s daughter, said being reunited with her late father’s medals was a very emotional moment.
“Our dad passed away in 1982. With him being gone, (the medals) are a part of him,” she told CTV Toronto.
Det. Const. Jason Currie said he was happy to be able to return such valuable mementos to the McNay family.
“I have a military background, both my grandfathers fought in the Second World War, and I have their medals up in my basement. If they were ever taken, it would be absolutely devastating,” he told CTV Toronto.
“This is basically what we do it for,” Currie added.
The medals were recovered as part of a special investigation dubbed “Project Spiderman,” believed to be the largest break-and-enter investigation in York Region’s history.
Police recovered thousands of watches, jewellery, coins, cash and silver stolen from homes across the GTA. Officials estimate that close to $15 million worth of stolen property may have been taken in thefts between 1989 and 2013.
The investigation was named Project Spiderman because the suspect allegedly went to extreme lengths to break into homes. Police say the suspect scaled homes and entered through skylights, and he used flexible spy cams, parabolic listening devices and precious metal testers.
The investigation was launched after a number of high-end homes in the GTA were broken into after October 2010.
In late February, police arrested 43-year-old Shane Gagnon in connection with the robberies and charged him with 31 break-and-enters.
While officers have returned several stolen items to their rightful owners, there are still hundreds of pieces of jewellery, medals and goods that remain unclaimed.
Investigators are asking residents who have been robbed to check the Toronto Police Service’s Facebook profile to find out if their property has been recovered. People who think something belongs to them are asked to call 416-808-3219.
With files from CP24 and a report from CTV Toronto’s Scott Lightfoot
