Spaniard's Bay B&B asking for help to find stolen rail switch

Owner Greg Miller called the local RCMP to report the switch as stolen, but was told the issue was not an emergency matter with the COVID-19 pandemic going on.

Switch stands six feet tall, weighs about 250 pounds

CBC News Posted: May 25, 2020 8:14 AM EDT | Last Updated: May 25, 2020

The Spaniards Room Heritage House in Spaniard's Bay is asking the public for help in locating their stolen rail switch. The red switch stands about six feet tall with 'E.90' written on the front. (Submitted by Greg Miller)

A Spaniard's Bay bed and breakfast is asking for the public's help in looking for an important piece of railway memorabilia that was stolen off their property last week.

Owner Greg Miller said the rail switch, usually standing at the end of their driveway, means a lot to the businessand carries historical significance to the area.

"The old railway system in Newfoundland, a lot of them had extensions, and of course even the main line had these switch systems," Miller told CBC Radio'sOn The GoFriday. "And each switch system had a number on it, so the one we had was the E.90."

"The house that we own here in Spaniard's Bay is designated as a registered heritage structure and a national historic site as the Mark Gosse residence. The Mark Gosse company, Mark Gosse and Sons Ltd., worked with the railway closely back in the turn of the century, 1901," he added. "There was a railway system that went right across the front of our house."

Not easy to move

He said the rail switch stands about about six feet tall, and weighs about 250 pounds. Miller was unable to catch the incident on camera, but suspects at least two people would have to be involved to move the iron object. He said he did notice someone trying to grab the sign earlier in the week, but can't prove it was the same person who stole the sign overnight.

Miller called the local RCMP to report the switch as stolen, but was told the issue was not an emergency matter with the COVID-19 pandemic going on.

"[It's] concerning, Because I'm sure that it's not just me [trying to report things]," he said. "There's a lot of theft taking place as we know right now and around the area, I'm not the only one, I think,told that they'll get to it."

Miller said he doesn't suspect the switch was stolen by someone in the community, as he said he knows the majority of people in the town. He is also asking people in nearby communities like Bay Roberts and Clarke's Beach to have a look out for the sign.

With files from On The Go

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