Chatham magician hopes tricks will reappear after being stolen

Poof. The magic's gone.

Chatham, Ont.'s Marien Hopman likes to perform a trick or two when he can, but his box of magic tricks was stolen.

At 71, he's been interested in magic since he was 10. The retired professional salesman says he would perform magic at children's parties.

Last week, he spotted a sponge ball on the floor of his car and wondered what it was doing there. He opened up his glove compartment — it was empty and his heart sank. That's where he kept his treasure trove of tricks.

"I just keep it in there to so I can make people happy," Hopman said.

He always kept magic handy. It was advice from a past president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

"Keep a little box in the back of your car, because Uncle Bill is here from Florida can you do some stuff?," he said.

Now he's hoping to see his tricks reappear. The community has been reaching out to the magician.

"I've been getting email from professional magicians out in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York saying 'how can we help you? what do you need,'" he said.

Hopman doesn't want to press charges and said whoever took his things can keep the almost $350 U.S. money that was also taken, but wants his things returned. Just leave them at his side door.

"Please return the magic, it's no good to you. Just return the tricks to the magician."