Victoria police detectives say the B次元官网网址渕eat-like substanceB次元官网网址� stuck in multiple kids shoes planted at Clover Point last week has been determined to be poultry.
Three baby and toddler shoes were found Thursday, Aug. 30 on the beach off Dallas Road with the raw meat and bone placed inside.
Det. Const. Lori Beauvais, with the departmentB次元官网网址檚 major crimes unit, said the initial discovery that lead investigators to the beach had police convinced what was inside the kids shoe was human.
B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 know until later (Thursday) night that we could be dealing with anything other than human remains,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he laces (on the first shoe), at the time, were pulled tight, and it really did look like human remains.B次元官网网址�
Beauvais put five shoes total on display at Clover Point today, three of which were found with poultry inside. A fourth shoe, found empty, was the match to the first shoe, and a fifth shoe, also empty, was found near one of the other meat-filled shoes.
B次元官网网址淭his is an abhorrent activity, or in this case itB次元官网网址檚 a criminal investigation,B次元官网网址� Beauvais said. B次元官网网址淭hey were purposefully set to be found, they were structured in a way that really looked human-like, and it was disturbing, and it was sad to think that, if it was authentic, this could be the remains of a small child.B次元官网网址�
Police are now asking for the publicB次元官网网址檚 help in identifying the shoes. Of particular interest to Beauvais is the matching pair: a toddlers size 8 set of purple and beige Bum Kids shoes, with a purple, white and beige-striped cuff, and purple laces.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hopeful someone will recognize these ones because they are quite unique,B次元官网网址� Beauvais said. B次元官网网址淚f anyoneB次元官网网址檚 in the retail business of used shoes and recalls seeing any of these, IB次元官网网址檇 like to speak with you.B次元官网网址�
Detectives believe the shoes were placed on the beach, 100 metres east and west of Clover Point, in the afternoon of Aug. 30. The first shoe was found at 4:30 p.m.
B次元官网网址淚 absolutely believe there is a connection between all of them. B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 able to establish a time line and we feel that these were probably dropped of within an hour of when this (first) one was located,B次元官网网址� Beauvais said. B次元官网网址淚 think they were all placed there at the same time.B次元官网网址�
While police are following up on some leads, a call for witnesses who may have seen any activity on the beach on Aug. 30 has come up empty.
Detectives are investigating the case as public mischief. Conviction of public mischief charges carries up to a five-year prison sentence.
Police are asking anyone with information on the shoes or the hoax to call VicPD at 250-995-7444 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS.
