Hounds hit by bizarre crime, somebody steals centre ice

Staff at the Soo Greyhounds hockey club and Memorial Gardens are scratching their heads after a bizarre break-in that left the arena with a hole chipped from its centre ice and the team short 120 expensive hockey sticks.

The stolen sticks, taken from the Greyhounds equipment room, consist of CCM Vectors, Easton Synergies (example shown) and Louisville TPS Responses, valued between $150 and $350 each.

A clearly marked Greyhounds stick bag was also stolen, City Police report.

The break-in was reported to police at 8:41 a.m. today.

When Gardens staffers reported to work, they found that the blue dot at centre ice had been chipped out down to the pavement.

The arena staff traditionally embed a penny at centre ice each year, but if that's what the thieves were seeking, for some reason they left the coin behind.

Sergeant Mark Dubas of City Police reports that a pair of red-and-white CCM hockey gloves was also taken, as well as some jerseys belonging to Greyhound alumni.

Some of the stolen sticks are red, the remainder are yellow, police said.

Some hockey-stick blades were also taken.

If you know anything that might help solve this crime, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 942-7867 or the Investigation Branch of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service at 949-6300.

WIth their next games slated for this weekend, Greyhounds staff today placed an order for additional hockey sticks.