A deep cut: Tools stolen from New Brunswick chainsaw artist

MAUGERVILLE, N.B. -

A New Brunswick chainsaw artist has been cut deep by theft, adter his tools were stolen this week.

Without them, he's unable to finish his creations and keep his business going.

Monty MacMillan is well known as a chainsaw carver, but on Monday he arrived at his workshop to find his tools had been stolen.

"They practically cleaned me out, they stole all my chainsaws, all my hand tools, routers, angle grinders, die grinder, everything that I use in my craft," he said.

MacMillan had several pieces underway, including a major project replacing the Sandpiper he made 20 years ago for the Town of Dorchester.

Now, he says, he doesn't know how he'll complete this or any other job.

"I'm not sure. I'll be 80 in a couple of months and I've been considering slowing down, and not taking orders anymore,” he said.

MacMillan and his son estimate the theft to be about $14,000, and it isn't the first time his tools have been either stolen or destroyed in a flood.

“I think it's what keeps me healthy, a hobby like this where I'm busy at it every day. I thoroughly enjoyed it over the years but it gets to the point where it's pretty discouraging.”

MacMillan doesn't know if it's worth the trouble to continuously replace them.

"One of the chainsaws is worth in excess of $2,000 it has a 60-inch bar on it and I use it extensively,” MacMillan said.

Son Marc MacMillan, like his father, is retired from the Canadian Forces, and finds carving a therapeutic activity for his PTSD.

"That was always kind of the plan, you know, I would try to learn his craft the best I can, but now as it stands that's not going to happen, I can't afford to go out and buy $15,000 worth of equipment,” Marc MacMillan said.

The incident was reported to the RCMP as soon as the theft was discovered.