These jewel encrusted shoes were stolen Sunday from the downtown Bata shoe museum in Toronto.
Bata Shoe Museum officials have discovered that two more items, worth more than $55,000, were stolen from their collection on Sunday.
They had originally reported to police that a pair of gold-embroidered and jewel-encrusted slippers worth $160,000 was stolen from the downtown museum.
After another search Monday, staff discovered two more items missing from another showcase: a gold anklet, set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, valued at $45,000 and a gold toe ring, set with diamonds and rubies ($11,000). Both date back to the 18th century.
The three items were stolen some time between noon and 5 p.m. on Sunday, police said.
“They’re very rare so the items can either be easy or hard to find,” said Toronto police Det. Const. Dave Dickinson.
“We need the public’s assistance with this. If anyone sees them, they’ll definitely recognize them. They’re one of a kind.”
Despite their monetary antique worth, the items have little or no street value, he said.
“The market for this sort of thing is small,’’ Dickinson said. “To most of the public, they’re probably not worth a lot, but to a collector or the Bata Shoe Museum, they’re very expensive.
If the gems are removed, they’re pretty much (worthless) because they’re uncut. It’s the history of the shoe that should be worth the value.”
Police continue to examine security video and conduct interviews with staff.
According to its website, the four-storey museum at the corner of Bloor St. W. and St. George St. houses more than 10,000 shoes in four galleries. Artifacts range from Chinese bound foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut crushing clogs and glamourous platforms.
The museum was recently featured in the final episode of last year’s Amazing Race reality TV show.
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