The case of the missing “Nutcracker” sets has been cracked — and not a moment too soon.
Peel Regional Police said it recovered the stolen truck carrying Ballet Jörgen‘s “irreplaceable” scenery late Monday night, less than 24 hours before the Canadian company is set to present its touring production of the holiday classic in Burlington on Tuesday evening.
The white, 26-foot Penske truck was found abandoned in Brampton, near the area of McLaughlin Road and Highway 407, police told the Star. Authorities said they located it using data shared by the vehicle’s tracking device.
It comes after the truck was reported missing from a lot in Etobicoke, some 25 kilometres away, in the early hours of Monday morning.
“Every set and backdrop for ‘The Nutcracker’ is safe, intact and ready to bring holiday magic to communities across Ontario as originally planned,” the ballet company said in a statement.
Toronto police said Tuesday morning that its investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.
Ballet Jörgen’s staging of “The Nutcracker” originally debuted in 2008. While it makes use of Tchaikovsky’s classic score, the production transports the action to Northern Ontario in 1912.
Its custom-built backdrops are made up of 10-metre reproductions of paintings by the Group of Seven, depicting various Canadian landscapes. The company said the sets cost approximately $150,000.
The alleged theft occurred just days after Ballet Jörgen opened its 2025 holiday tour in North Bay on Thursday. The show is currently scheduled to tour to more than a dozen communities across Ontario, running for 25 performances through the end of the December.
Ballet Jörgen previously said it intended to continue with all performances as planned, even without its full sets. The company, however, quickly received a groundswell of support from other members of the dance community across the country, with ballet troupes in Ontario and as far away as Alberta offering to lend their “Nutcracker” sets to the company.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from across the province and beyond,” Ballet Jörgen said.
