The owner of the former Silver City theatre property in Windsor is expressing frustration after another theft resulted in more damage to the building.
Joe Mikhail, director of Mikhail Holdings, is offering a $2,500 reward for the capture and arrest of the people who recently stole items from the building near Walker Road and Provincial Road.
The Windsor Police Service is investigating and has tweeted images of a suspect and a silver/grey Dodge Grand Caravan, captured on a surveillance camera on Feb. 20, 2023.
Police are looking for two people who broke into the former Silver City movie theatre building on February 20. Feb. 22, 2023 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Windsor Police Twitter)
Mikhail says this latest incident saw thieves gain access to the roof, destroying heating-cooling units that are valued at $100,000 and throwing them to the ground to take steel and copper wiring from the system.
He says the security cameras show these are people with hard hats, tools and vehicles.
"It bothers me to understand how somebody with that kind of knowledge would risk going to jail, vandalizing somebody else's property, probably to earn a dollar an hour by taking this stuff and reselling it," says Mikhail.
Police are looking for two individuals who broke into the former Silver City movie theatre building on February 20. Feb. 22, 2023 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Windsor Police Twitter)
He says this all started around six months ago when thieves dismantled the electrical grid, cutting off power to the building and costing him around $300,000. Since then, other groups have gone in and ripped down drywall to access pipes and wiring.
Mikhail says police have been working with him to resolve this on-going situation and he's taken a number of measures including welding the doors shut, and boarding others with heavy locks and screws.
"At one time they were going through the garbage compactor and making their way through, we sealed that up," he says. "We've done everything but they come with tools, ladders, electric gear and they saw through, all to gain a few dollars. The amount of time and risk they take is unbelievable."
Mikhail says they are trying to resurrect this property and are not demolishing it. He says they are applying to the Ontario government to transform it into a medical facility.
Mikhail Holdings was informed by Cineplex in January of 2022 that the company would cease operations at the Silver City location.
Cineplex decided not to renew its lease at the site, focusing instead on its nearby Cineplex Odeon Devonshire Mall Cinemas location, and the Silvery City property has been vacant ever since.