Tropical fish, cash stolen from Ottawa Valley restaurant

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating after tropical fish were among the goods taken last week from a restaurant northwest of Ottawa.

In a news release, police said the break-in happened early Thursday morning in Beachburg and that cash was also taken.

"It is certainly out of the ordinary," Const. Shawn Peever told CBC over the phone on Tuesday.

"I've been a police officer for 27 years and I've never encountered an incident where there was fish from an aquarium stolen."

Lily Dan, who answered the phone when CBC called the Beachburg Family Restaurant, theorized it's possible a type of fish she used to have — the Symphysodon, or discus fish — drew the unwanted attention for the high price it can fetch.

Unfortunately for whoever broke in, she said she no longer had that fish. The thief had to settle for the others, their food and parts of the aquarium, leaving the tank behind.

'A lot' of fish taken

Dan said she never counted exactly how many fish she had but had "a lot of them," including clownfish.

Peever said the owner of the restaurant valued the fish at several thousand dollars.

He didn't have details about the size, colour or quantity of the fish taken, but said OPP are appealing to the public for information — including if they see the fish up for sale.

Peever said it's too early in the investigation to speculate why the fish were taken.

"I have no idea who did it,"  Dan said.

Beachburg is approximately 120 kilometres northwest of Ottawa, near Cobden in Whitewater Region.