By Canadian Press

Stolen wooden fisherman known as ‘Shorty’ returned to NS business

Apr 14, 2019 | 10:27 AM

PEGGY’S COVE, N.S. — A popular wooden fisherman that was stolen from a tourist spot in Peggy’s Cove, N.S., earlier this week is now back in front of his owner’s business.

Peter Richardson, who owns Peggy’s Cove Lobsters, said he got a call from four Dalhousie University students who said they had rescued the life-sized carving known as Shorty.

Richardson said he travelled to Halifax on Saturday night to collect the folksy wood carving from the four women.

He said they told him they had heard a rumour that a group of men they know had taken the five-foot-two-inch carving, so they went to the men’s house while they were away and removed it.

“They tried to carry him out themselves and they couldn’t, so they called a roommate whose boyfriend had a truck,” said Richardson. “The five of them managed to get him down the stairs and into the back of the truck.”

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He said they later texted their friends to let them know they had taken custody of Shorty.

Richardson said he’s glad to have Shorty back after his adventure, which he suspects was the result of a university prank.

Meanwhile, steps have been taken to secure Shorty and there are plans to have a Mrs. Shorty carved to keep him company in front of Richardson’s lobster-roll food truck.

“Now that he’s here we’re still going to have Mrs. Shorty come up just to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t wander off again,” said Richardson.

Richardson, who bought Shorty last August for $1,000 to help promote his business, said the social media attention the carving’s disappearance generated hasn’t hurt with the tourist season fast approaching.

“When Shorty was here he greeted thousands of people,” he said. “People were concerned and they just wanted him to come back.”

Jeff Weiler of Niagara, Ont., who was sightseeing in Peggy’s Cove on Sunday, said he and his wife had heard of Shorty’s plight.

“We drove by about two-and-a-half hours ago coming in and we saw him and said ‘No way. That’s Shorty,’” said Weiler. “We pulled by just as he was here so it was kinda cool.”

The Canadian Press