MONTREAL — There has been a break in the case of a massive maple syrup heist, with police announcing that a months-long multi-jurisdictional search has yielded three arrests and the seizure of millions’ worth of stolen sticky stuff.
Three people were nabbed Tuesday in connection with the theft of a large quantity of the national condiment from a warehouse in Quebec.
About 2.7 million kilos of maple syrup, worth up to $18 million, was reported missing after a routine inventory check last summer.
Or, if your preferred unit of measurement is pancakes, the stolen amount would have been enough to dump a one-tablespoon topping on a whopping 183 million flapjacks.
Police say they have now recovered most of the missing syrup.
They have also seized vehicles suspected of being used in the trafficking operation and equipment like scales and electronic lifts.
Those arrested were expected to face charges in a Trois-Rivieres courtroom of theft, conspiracy, fraud and trafficking in stolen goods Tuesday.
There are arrest warrants out for five other people.
“This investigation is not over,” Claude Denis of the Quebec provincial police said.
“It’s ongoing, and other arrests could follow.”