Brief
Escape artist Dean Gunnarson offers $500 reward for missing magic‑history plaque
The plaque commemorating the 1986 founding of the International Brotherhood of Magicians disappeared from its downtown location, prompting Gunnarson’s reward offer.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Winnipeg’s historic plaque marking the 1986 founding of the International Brotherhood of Magicians has vanished, and internationally known escape artist Dean Gunnarson has announced a $500 reward for its return, the Winnipeg Free Press reported on October 10.
What happened
The bronze plaque was installed on a downtown wall on June 6, 1986 in a ceremony attended by then‑mayor Bill Norrie, magician Doug Henning and local historian Len Vi. On Tuesday, magician and magic historian Bruce Thompson discovered the plaque missing while on his way to work. He noted a bolt still embedded in the wall and disturbed flower beds, suggesting the plaque had been forcibly removed.
What the report adds
The article specifies that no police report has been filed yet, and that Thompson is seeking surveillance footage that might identify the culprit. It also records Gunnarson’s reaction, describing the theft as “heart‑breaking” and expressing concern that the plaque could have been taken for scrap metal.
What was said
Dean Gunnarson told the Winnipeg Free Press, “It looks like it had been pried off,” and added, “It breaks my heart that somebody would steal this to either throw it in a dumpster or for scrap metal.” He also announced the $500 reward for anyone who can make the plaque reappear.
How it came about
The plaque commemorates the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the world’s largest organization of professional and amateur magicians, which was founded in Winnipeg more than a century ago. Its disappearance follows a series of recent heritage‑related incidents in the city, though no prior Felo News articles directly covered this specific plaque.
Key facts
- A plaque commemorating the 1986 founding of the International Brotherhood of Magicians disappeared from a downtown Winnipeg wall. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Escape artist Dean Gunnarson offered a $500 reward for the plaque’s return. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Magician Bruce Thompson reported the missing plaque on Tuesday, noting a bolt and disturbed flower beds. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- No police report has been filed yet; surveillance footage is being sought. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sources
- [1] winnipegfreepress.com — originally reported as “Piece of magic history disappears”
