Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 18/02) - RCMP in Richmond, B.C. appear to have closed the books on a year-old diamond theft.

"That's pretty much what's happened," said Const. Peter Thiessen, a spokesperson for the Richmond RCMP detachment.

In December 2000 a box of 21 finished gems worth an estimated $100,000 vanished during shipping from the Sirius Diamonds cutting facility in Yellowknife to the company's Vancouver head office.

Last March most of the diamonds were recovered after an individual tried to sell stones in a Vancouver store.

RCMP reported the diamonds would likely never have been recovered without the polar bear trademark, unique to Sirius Diamonds.

The person trying to sell the diamonds said they were found in a bubble envelope on the street.

The jeweller noticed the laser-etched logo and called Sirius.

A search of the person's residence turned up 14 more cut and polished diamonds with the polar bear logo.

Thiessen said police investigated and recommended the Crown lay charges last fall.

However, "the Crown did not feel there was a likelihood of a conviction," said Thiessen.