Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 26/00) - Someone out there took full advantage of the honour system upon which all bush camps in the North work.

On April 16 Alan Harman towed a sled behind his snow machine up Prosperous Lake and north to Drygeese Lake where he and his wife Bertha and their three children have a winter camp.

He was going to pack up the 14- by 16-foot canvas frame tent, wood stove, two insulated tarps and Coleman heating lantern and bring them back to town.

But somebody beat him to it. All Alan found was the frame and the pallets that formed the floor of the tent.

"They left the poles standing and took everything else," said Bertha. "To take everything, lock, stock and barrel -- I couldn't believe it."

The couple have set up camps in the area each winter for years and never had anything stolen.

"We take our kids out there, our friends, and go ice fishing and hunting and stuff," said Bertha. "That's our getaway."

The RCMP say they get few reports of such thefts.

"I don't think there's a rash of them or it's normally a problem," said RCMP spokesperson Denise Potvin.

"I think, for the most part, people who are out in areas like that, especially when it's further out, are out for the same purpose to enjoy the land and Ski-Doo or hunt. They tend to respect one another's property."

Knowing her and her husband's situation is the exception rather than the rule provides little comfort to Bertha.

She was particularly irked by the knowledge that the thief or thieves were well off enough to afford the snow machine required to haul the stuff off.

"It's a total violation," said Bertha. She said she would accept the equipment back "no questions asked."

That goes for anybody who spots the stolen items.

The tent was made by Fort McPherson Tent and Canvas and has a hole near the door. The tarps are orange with foam rubber insulation.