Edmonton police are asking for the public's help in a residential break-in where thieves made off with a large number of silver bars worth more than $210,000.

The Johnson Matthey silver bars were the retirement "nest egg" for the owner of an acreage in the city's northeast, police spokesperson Scott Pattison said Tuesday.

"People use various investments for that and this particular individual had invested in silver and did keep them on their property," Pattison said.

Police are not releasing how many bars were taken.

The current price of silver in Canada is about $700 per kilogram, which would make the weight of the stolen silver bars approximately 300 kg or 660 pounds.

There are no surveillance cameras on the property. Police are hoping pawn shop owners, employees, and others will keep their eyes open for the stolen property, Pattison said.

The homeowner reported the theft to police around 5:45 p.m. on April 11.

Police were told a lock on a vehicle gate across the driveway had been cut off to gain entry to the property.

The home on the property was broken into and several items taken, including a number of registered firearms valued at close to $20,000, and a large amount of ammunition.

"The individual is a collector," said Pattison. "That is his hobby."

The silver bars were in a safe inside a garage on the property. The thief — or thieves — broke into the safe, police said.

The theft could have happened at any time on April 11, added Pattison.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.