“There was just a big puddle and a bunch of mud where the dunk tank had been.”
Those are the words of Boyle & District Agricultural Society president Ashtin Anderson after someone hooked up to the group’s rented fundraising dunk tank and rolled off with it during the Boyle Rodeo over the weekend.
“I still cannot believe that our dunk tank was stolen,” Anderson told the Lac La Biche Post on Wednesday afternoon following an RCMP press release asking for any information regarding the theft.
Boyle RCMP say suspects dumped out the water to the tank and stole a trailer hitch from a nearby concession trailer to hook onto the mobile dunk tank. Police say one potential witness described a dark coloured pickup truck that may have been associated. Police say the tank went missing between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. Sunday, the last day of the annual rodeo.
Anderson said organizers had only gone to bed in camping trailers around the rodeo grounds, located one kilometre east of Boyle on Highway 663, at 3:30 that morning.
“It was there at three-thirty and gone at 6 a.m.,” she said. “Our trailers weren’t that far away.”
The small window of opportunity for thieves, will likely leave a big hole financially for the volunteer society.
“We rented it to do our fundraiser because rodeos don’t make money, so it would cover our costs and put some money into the society’s bank account.”
They were hoping the dunk tank would raise $1,000 over the weekend. But now the theft may cost the association thousands more. Initial estimates on a replacement cost from the rental company is $6,000, plus possible claims of lost revenues for future rentals of the dunk tank.
“It had been a very successful fundraiser .. we had auctioned off the first three people to be dunked — local business people — and we had more people ready to go in. We had lots of fun on Saturday. It was a hot day and I think people were OK with cooling off for charity. Sunday was going to be hot as well, so we had quite a few people ready to go.”
Community help
A bit of a silver lining from the crime, says Anderson is that some of the people who had signed up to be dunked on Sunday have offered to donate money to the agricultural society to offset some of the costs.
Anyone wishing to help the Boyle & District Agricultural Society with donations can contact them directly through their email address at [email protected]
“We are so thankful for all of the support we have received regarding this theft. The public helped us find our tractor that was stolen about a year ago so we are holding out hope that the dunk tank will surface eventually as well,” Anderson said, adding that she’s trying not to let the dunk tank theft tank her enthusiasm for what was otherwise a great Rodeo Days event.
“It was an amazing turnout for our rodeo this year. The weather held out for Friday night and Saturday was phenomenal weather. We had a lot of people having a really good time,” she said.
Boyle RCMP are hoping that some of the many people who enjoyed the rodeo can help to find the people who have put a blemish on it.
Police have received many tips already, and are currently following up on all the information provided, said Boyle RCMP Const. Russell Stepanick, adding that the theft has affected many people.
“With the theft of the dunk tank, it has a significant impact on the community and effects the Agricultural Society’s ability to host events in the future”, he said. “The Agricultural Society, is a volunteer-based group of local residents who are passionate about making the community they live in a fun place by hosting these events.”
The investigation is ongoing and police are asking if you have information about this incident to please call the Boyle RCMP at 780-689-4081. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
— Written by Rob McKinley
