Theft of art at Liberty Village pot shop caught on camera

At Green Merchant, a cannabis boutique in Toronto’s Liberty Village, there are lots of security cameras to ensure that nothing is stolen. So when a picture on the store’s wall where local artists’ pieces are displayed suddenly vanished last Thursday night, employees immediately looked at surveillance camera footage.

Angelica Liu, the chief operating officer of Green Merchant, told Global News the theft occurred at around 9:20 p.m.

Liu said the suspects were paying customers who bought products and who were on their way out.

“We don’t have their names but we have video footage,” she said.

She said they’ve filed a police report and are trying to track down the suspects’ identities through the credit card they used.

In the surveillance video, which has no sound, a man wearing a white baseball cap, jeans and a leather jacket pulls the picture off the wall as a woman carrying a paper bag opens the door, looking back at the man as he removes the art. The two then casually walk out of the store together.

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The artist, Shakil Hossain, said he was notified by the shop about the theft. Hossain owns the painting and was hoping to sell it for $600.

Hossain said he told the dispensary owner he had done a series of photographs depicting people smoking cannabis after marijuana was legalized in Canada.

“I shot a lot of people smoking in my studio and this was one of them and why I included that picture,” he said of the stolen photograph he lent to the cannabis store for its wall.

The picture of a woman blowing smoke was mounted on canvas. It had been in the shop for a few months.

Hossain said he was upset when he learned about the theft and said he’s hopeful the police can track down his photograph.

“It looked like it was planned. I’m sure they’d seen it when they walked in,” Hossain said.

Liu said nothing else was stolen that night and believes the thief is likely going to keep it for himself.

“I have a feeling they’re going to put it up in their home,” said Liu.

Hossain said the picture was being sold for $600 but its value is far greater to him.

“That’s a loaded question. For me, it is a lot of money but it was on sale for $600,” Hossain said.

Police are investigating. Anyone with information on the suspects or who may have seen the artwork is asked to call Toronto police or Crime Stoppers.