Stolen lion statues recovered and returned to Calgary family
A pair of treasured, decorative lion statues stolen from in front of a Calgary home earlier this month are headed back where they belong after being discovered next to a dumpster.
Calgary police were notified about the two, metre-tall lions, weighing about 100 pounds each, on Thursday, and they were being returned to rightful owner Rebecca Pham.
"I started crying immediately, my mom and I were bawling," she said.
"The police called me and said, 'We think we found your lions' and they sent me a picture and it was my lions."
Pham said the lions were noticed about a week ago by someone living at the condo building, who at first didn't think much about them.
"They didn't put two-and-two together then they were talking with a friend and told them about the lions and the friend said, 'Hey, those were on the news.'"
The statues have adorned Pham's family homes in Ontario and now Alberta for nearly 30 years.
He dad acquired them in 1984, before Pham was born, and they were the only things salvaged after the family's home was destroyed in a fire that claimed the life of her older brother — who was 13 at the time — following the Ontario ice storms in 1998.
Rather than be put back where they were, Pham said she is going to move the lions to the back yard.
"There's a little bit of damage, some scuff marks and some paint missing, but nothing that can't be fixed," she said.
"Those lions are sturdy and strong. I feel so relieved, a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.