Bata family offers $25,000 reward for safe return of royal slippers

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TORONTO (CP) - As police continued to chase several leads, Sonja Bata offered $25,000 Thursday for the safe return of several artifacts, including a pair of rare royal slippers, brazenly stolen last weekend from the Bata Shoe Museum.

"This is one of her favourite pieces of the collection," said spokeswoman Rosmarie Stergiou, speaking on behalf of Bata, wife of Czech-born shoe magnate Thomas Bata and founder of the museum.

"This is something that's irreplaceable. We'll never find another pair of shoes worn by the Nizam (Prince Nizam Sikandar Jah of Hyderabad) and for that reason they're priceless to us."

Police said the investigation has uncovered several leads and officers suspect "it was a planned theft and deliberate."

"We believe it's someone that knows the value of these items," said Toronto police Det. Leslie Dunkley.

"Who would want to steal them is a question we're asking ourselves. There's a very small market for these items."

He wouldn't discuss the museum's security or whether cameras captured the theft, which occurred between noon and 5 p.m. last Sunday.

Police are searching for three items: jewel-encrusted slippers worn by the Indian prince, valued at $160,000, as well as a gold anklet and toe ring, both adorned with diamonds and rubies.

Museum officials said the items were of great historical importance, particularly the slippers.

"They represent the maximum opulence of the Muslim court during colonial times in India," said Emanuele Lepri, the museum's director. "It's a completely unique piece."

This was not the first robbery at the museum. A pair of sneakers went missing five years ago, said Stergiou. They were never recovered.

The museum, whose permanent collection includes more than 12,000 artifacts including Queen Victoria's ballroom slippers and Terry Fox's running shoe, remains open to visitors during the investigation.