Crime is often unusual.
By its nature, it's a breach of laws which help dictate normal life.
While some criminal incidents are frightening and others are disturbing, some are fascinating, interesting, or rather silly (in the end).
1. Vancouver Art Gallery accidentally buys fakes
The Group of Seven are some of Canada's most famous artists, and any major art gallery in the country would like to have a sizable collection.
When the Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) announced in 2015 it had acquired 10 pieces by J.E.H. MacDonald, a member of the group, it was notable for the Canadian art world, since they were previously unknown.
There was a reason, though. After experts raised issues with at least some of the pieces, a long-term investigation began. Eventually it was determined at least eight couldn't have been MacDonald's work, because they involved paint that didn't exist until after he died, according to a CBC article.
The VAG turned the pieces into their own exhibit.
2. A series of stolen Surrey cars at a sandwich shop
In 2003 a Surrey RCMP officer was either lucky or unlucky in this case, according to a Vancouver Sun article.
The officer headed to a local sandwich shop for a bite to eat when a car caught his eye. He ran the plates, and it turned out to be stolen. He followed the driver, made the arrest, and headed back to the sandwich shop.
Where a driver in another car caught his eye.
He ran the plates.
It was reported stolen, so he arrested the driver.
He then went back to the shop and went inside to get a sandwich.
That's when his partner alerted him to a stolen car out front.
3. A river arrest
In 1958 the Vancouver Sun shared the story of an officer given chase out into Seymour River.
The suspect was one of two men who had fled from the police officer after nearly causing an accident on the Second Narrows Bridge (in what turned out to be a stolen car).
One of the suspects was caught quickly, but the second ran away and then tried to swim away in the Seymour River.
The officer caught up to the suspect, according to the Vancouver Sun, while the suspect was in the middle of the river.
The suspect refused to get out; instead, he just tread water in the river until the officer went in as well and arrested him.
4. Thanks, Halifax
In 1964 a man was sentenced to jail in Halifax was accidentally released from police custody.
To celebrate, the man went on a crime spree across Canada, according to a Sun article.
He ended up committing 14 break-ins in just over one month around Metro Vancouver.
Speaking with media after his B.C. court case, the man said he'd been charged with a couple of crimes in Nova Scotia. He was convicted of some and due to serve four years, but one charge in a separate case came later. In that case the charge was dropped, and police just released him.
"I didn't wait around long, and I just took off," said the inadvertent escapee.
In between his escape in Halifax and arrest in Vancouver, he visited Florida, New Orleans, San Diego, and Los Angeles.
5. Dramatic getaway goes poorly
In 1960 a pair of men caused a series of dramatic incidents around Vancouver after trying to rob a supermarket.
It started at 18th Avenue and Dunbar, where they smashed the store's window with an axe, which is quite the entrance.
The manager was dealing with the cash at the time and fled to the back of the store with most of the money. The suspects fired a couple of shots at him as he fled and then grabbed $45 (about $430 in 2025).
They leapt back out the window, followed by some canned food thrown by a staff member (one connected). Outside they landed in front of a man and fought with him for a bit before they pulled the gun out again.
The man let go (and said the trigger was pulled but didn't fire), and the two suspects fled in a car.
Another man, seeing what happened, decided he'd give chase, but gave up after his car was hit with three bullets. He stopped and called police while the two suspects ran their car into a ditch.
Police showed up a short time later with a police dog who tracked them down. A gun fight ensued and an officer was shot in the elbow.
However, one suspect was caught.
The other fled the scene and tried to find a place to hide out in a basement in West Point Grey.
Inside he found a married couple. The husband went for an unloaded gun and tried to bluff the suspect, but the suspect put his hand in his pocket and claimed he too had a gun.
Then the wife sprang into action and punched the suspect not once, not twice, but thrice in the face before going to call the police.
Her husband wrestled with the intruder, but the suspect got away (without one shoe).
Police found him a block away and arrested him.
