Villain of Green Gables: Thief steals coins from P.E.I. wishing well

CAVENDISH, P.E.I. – P.E.I. residents are being asked to watch for muddy coins after a thief climbed deep into a historic wishing well to steal money from the bottom.

Charlottetown RCMP say the thief damaged the well at an Anne of Green Gables-related National Historic Site in Cavendish, and used a ladder to get to the bottom sometime in the last week.

It is unclear how much money was at the bottom of the well, which was dug in the 1800s and used as a wishing well for a few decades.

"They could have made away with a lot, because we don't know when it was last emptied, or if ever. We have no idea how much money was in there," RCMP Sgt. Leanne Butler said Friday.

The site draws thousands of visitors each summer.

The Mounties are asking the public to watch for someone who may have a large amount of coins, which may be dirty and possibly corroded from being at the bottom of the well for a long time.

"If something seems strange to somebody, if they have a bucket of muddy money, that might be it," Butler said.