Not cool: Jamaican bobsledder wants thief to return stolen shell to Calgary bar

An original member of the Jamaican bobsled team featured in the 1993 movie “Cool Runnings” is imploring whoever stole the nose cone from a sled that appeared in the film to return it to a Calgary bar.

Devon Harris, who is also chairman of the Jamaican Bobsled Federation, says he’s not going to lose sleep over the missing bobsled shell, but is disappointed over the news.

“It’s gone too far now,” Harris said in a phone interview Tuesday. ‘”Just bring it back.”

Police said the shell was last seen at Ranchman’s country bar last week as it hung outside below the roof of the building. The sled was a gift to to the business by the movie’s production crew after some scenes of the Disney movie were filmed there. The bar closed last month.

“Cool Runnings” is loosely based on the true story of the national Jamaican bobsled team’s debut at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Jamaica finished 30th out of 41 teams in the two-man event and did not finish the four-man competition.

Harris, who lives in New York, said he saw a friend from Calgary post on Facebook about the stolen black bobsled shell with the Jamaican flag colours — black, green and gold — and immediately rolled his eyes.

He said the sled was a gift from a Canadian bobsled team and was later painted for the movie.

“It’s kind of like this work of art that somebody go hide in a basement and they are the only ones who have the opportunities to enjoy it. I have no idea what (they) are going to do with a sled. There’s nothing they can do with it, right?”

Harris said the theft feels like a prank.

Rob Campbell, property owner of Ranchman’s, said in a Facebook post he was “gutted” when he heard the news.

“I don’t know what the hell someone thinks they can do with it,” the post said.

There is a reward for the bobsled shell’s return, he added.

Police says they are looking at security footage from the area and are asking anyone who may have witnessed the theft to come forward.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2020.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press