Stolen Victoria Crosses recovered after £120,000 reward offer

A reward of 120,000 pounds has facilitated the recovery of nine Victoria Crosses that had been stolen in New Zealand.

London, Feb 17 : A reward of 120,000 pounds has facilitated the recovery of nine Victoria Crosses that had been stolen in New Zealand.

The recovered VCs were part of a group of other 96 medals, including two George Crosses and an Albert Medal.

They were stolen in a raid on the national Army Museum in the central North Island town of Waiouru in early December.

According to the police, the whole lot, which was recovered, was in "mint condition" as a result of the reward.

In fact, two-thirds of the reward was raised by the British peer Lord Ashcroft, who has a collection of around 150 VCs.

"The reward... has encouraged a person to come forward and facilitate the return of the medals to police," the Telegraph quoted Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Bensemann, as saying.

The whole nation was shocked by the audacity of the well-planned raid and it also made many celebrities to join a television advertising campaign for appealing to the thieves to return the medals.

ANI