Iqaluit thief cuts museum phone line, steals $10K worth of art

Someone broke into Iqaluit's museum Wednesday night and stole $10,000 worth of Inuit artafter cutting the building's phone lines and stopping the alarm from sounding.

The person or persons involved also removed a layer of Plexiglas over the window at the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museumbefore smashing their way into the building.

"It was totally surprising for me," said Gyu Oh, the museum's manager.

"I don't even know how anybody has that kind of plan to be able to do that. I mean I understand somebody breaking a window and breaking in somewhere or comingthrough the open door, but doing that seemed kinda planned."

Just over a week ago someone tried to break in through the same window but was stopped by the museum's Plexiglas cover. Oh said her phone service was also cut that day.

"Last time when the phone line was out I didn't even know it was connected with the broken window outside."

Oh said the thieves made off with at least four large carvings, a carved narwhal tusk, the museum's cash register and a camera.

The RCMP are investigating.