Airdrie hockey team’s jerseys stolen from van

Replacement cost pegged at $3,000

If you find a black duffel bag full of children-sized hockey jerseys, a group of seven- and eight-year-olds battling their way through the playoffs would like them back.

Someone broke into a truck owned by the coach of the Airdrie Novice Lightning at his home late Friday night and made off with his stick and skates, and the complete set of his team’s red away jerseys.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous, I can’t believe somebody would take these,” said gregwing, general manager of the Airdrie Minor Hockey Association.

“It obviously hurts the kids. Each of the kids feels that the jerseys weren’t just stolen from their coach, they were taken from them.”

Wing said the theft is perplexing as the jerseys have no value for anyone outside of the team, but it could cost as much as $3,000 to replace them, including crests and numbers.

“What the heck were they thinking?” Wing asked.

“My thoughts are that these jerseys are going to end up in a back alley garbage bin or on the side of the road somewhere. So if we can get as many eyes as possible looking for a black bag full of red jerseys that would fit seven- and eight-year-olds, those are ours.”

The jerseys were brand new this season, so for the time being, the team will play with their white home uniforms in the hope that the items will be found or possibly returned by the perpetrator.

“They can just drop them off at any of the arenas or any public place so that somebody can return them to us, no questions will be asked,” Wing said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Wing at 403-512-1870 or e-mail him at gregwing@shaw.ca.