A long-missing cultural treasure has made its way home. On May 1, 2025, the Terrace RCMP returned a carved and hand-painted paddle to the Wesley family of the Kitsumkalum Nation—years after it was stolen in a residential break-in.
The paddle, created by the late Richard Wesley while he studied at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, holds deep personal and cultural significance. Despite the theft going unreported at the time, the paddle recently surfaced in Vancouver, where it was located by the Vancouver Police Department.
Upon being contacted, Constable TILMA of Terrace’s Indigenous Policing Services began an investigation. With help from the Kitsumkalum Nation, Cst. TILMA confirmed the paddle’s origin and its rightful ownership.
Terrace RCMP assisted VPD with their case, resulting in the paddle being safely returned to Terrace. A blessing ceremony marked its return, officially bringing the piece back into the Wesley family’s care.
Police say the case underscores the need to report cultural thefts, even years after the fact, and praised the collaboration between communities and law enforcement in preserving Indigenous heritage.
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