A Squamish man is facing a charge of possession of stolen property in connection with the recovery of a stolen propeller with links to notorious gangster Al Capone.
Jason Michael Fox, 41, was arrested Jan. 10 in Vancouver, West Vancouver Police Cst. Jeff Palmer wrote in a statement issued Thursday (Jan. 16).
The 300-pound brass propeller was once part of the 112-foot boat Texada, which Capone reportedly used to smuggle booze during the 1930s.
The propeller, given to Joe Spears as a gift after he conducted a pollution response and salvage recovery, was reported to have been stolen from a yard in Horseshoe Bay on Nov. 22, 2013. It has an estimated value of $4,000.
Media coverage and a resulting tip led investigators to a metal recycling company in Squamish, Palmer said. Squamish RCMP helped recover the item and other evidence that led to identification of a suspect.
Police forwarded a report to Crown Counsel and a warrant was issued on Jan. 9. On Jan. 10, Fox was arrested after having been identified during a vehicle check by Vancouver Police in the 1500 block of Main Street, Palmer said.
The suspect made a first appearance in Vancouver Provincial Court on Jan. 10. His next scheduled appearance is Jan. 29 in North Vancouver Provincial Court.
The propeller was previously stolen in August 2011. A 55-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested and subsequently convicted for possession of stolen property. Police know of no connection between the previously convicted suspect and the current investigation, Palmer said.
