A renowned IndyCar racer’s racing helmet was recently stolen from a museum in Vancouver, Canada. The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame reported that the theft occurred when a helmet worn by the late Greg Moore was taken from a mannequin displayed next to his IndyCar. Greg Moore, hailing from Maple Ridge, B.C., was a prominent figure in the IndyCar scene in the late 1990s and achieved five wins and 17 podium finishes before his tragic passing in a race in California in 1999 at the age of 24. The stolen helmet was worn by Moore during one of his victories at the Rio 400 in Brazil.
The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame revealed that the stolen helmet, a significant item in the museum’s motorsport collection, was on a permanent loan from the Moore family. The suspect, described as a man wearing a black hat, black pants, blue shirt, grey jacket, and white shoes while carrying a burgundy sports bag, was captured on surveillance footage. The museum is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect and recovering the stolen helmet, which holds both monetary and sentimental value.
Jason Beck, the curator at the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, emphasized the personal and historical significance of the helmet, labeling it as a crucial piece of Canadian sports history. Beck expressed deep distress over the theft, echoing sentiments from Ric Moore, Greg’s father, who emphasized the helmet’s symbolic value in representing his son’s character, spirit, and aspirations that can never be replaced.