9 Victoria Cross (VC) Valor Medals Stolen From A New Zealand Army Museum Have Been Recovered

Yep, very good news indeed :)

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest valor award of the British army. Since its creation 200 years ago by Queen Victoria, only slightly more than 1000 VCs have been awarded to military personnels of Britain and Commonwealth countries.

TheSTAR Online - World Updates - Saturday February 16, 2008 MYT 01:46:09 PM

New Zealand Police Recover Stolen War Medals

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand police have recovered rare war medals, including nine Victoria Crosses, which had been stolen from a national museum in December, officials said on Saturday.

The stolen medals included those awarded to New Zealand’s most celebrated war hero, World War Two Captain Charles Upham, one of only three men to have won two Victoria Crosses, the highest award for bravery among Commonwealth nations.

Police said an unidentified third party helped arrange the return of all 96 medals after a British medal collector and a local businessman announced an award of NZ$300,000 ($238,095) for information on the missing medals.

“These medals are New Zealand’s national treasures, with a value beyond any monetary worth. New Zealanders will be both delighted and relieved that the VCs and other medals have been recovered,” Defence Minister Phil Goff said in a statement.

The medals were taken from the war museum on the outskirts of the small town of Waiouru, in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island.

“The reward was offered for information leading to the safe return of the medals and that has encouraged a person to come forward and facilitate the return of the medals to police,” the New Zealand Press Association quoted detective senior sergeant Chris Bensemann as saying.

Bensemann declined to say how how much of the reward was paid, but “an amount” would be transferred to a third party on Monday following several weeks of negotiations, NZPA said.

No immunity from prosecution or support for reduction in any sentence for any offender was given in return, Bensemann said, adding that the police will continue to hunt for the burglars.

A local export had valued the stolen medals to be worth around NZ$10 million. ($1=NZ$1.26)

Everyone who is involved in the recovery of the war medals have done very well indeed! Kudos! But, I really hope that henceforth, these war medals which are precious national treasures, will be well-guarded and never stolen again.

regards
hanyi

Technorati Tags: Victoria Cross, Victoria Cross Valor Medal, VC Medals, 9 Victoria Cross Valor Medals Stolen, Military Medals, New Zealand, JustNice.Org

9 Victoria Cross (VC) Valor Medals Stolen From A New Zealand Army Museum

Yep, shocking and outrageous indeed. :)

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest valor award of the British army. Since its creation 200 years ago by Queen Victoria, only slightly more than 1000 VCs have been awarded to military personnels of Britain and its former colonies all over the world.

TheSTAR Online - World Updates - Tuesday December 4, 2007 MYT 11:29:55 AM

Reward Offered For 9 Stolen New Zealand War Valor Medals

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP): A British nobleman who owns the world’s biggest collection of Victoria Cross valor medals said Tuesday he is willing to offer a US$153,000 (euro104,000) reward for the return of nine of the medals stolen from a New Zealand army museum.

New Zealand officials said they were considering Lord Michael Ashcroft’s offer but discussing the matter with police before formally accepting it, with Prime Minister Helen Clark noting that such rewards sometimes can serve as an incentive for further thefts.

Ashcroft said he was “horrified and outraged” by the weekend theft of nine Victoria Cross medals awarded to gallant New Zealanders, including the Victoria Cross and Bar awarded to Capt. Charles Upham — which Ashcroft described as the “Holy Grail” of such medals.

Upham’s medals are the only such double award ever made to a combat soldier.

Inaugurated by Britain’s Queen Victoria in the mid-1800s, the Victoria Cross for gallantry in war remains the highest valor award in Britain and its former colonies.

Ashcroft said he was offering the reward for information leading directly to the recovery of the nine medals.

Clark said the offer from Ashcroft, who owns more than 140 of the rare medals, was generous but that she would need to take police advice on it.

“One of the issues that always arises is whether you should encourage the posting of such offers because it could in the worst of circumstances be an incentive to theft,” she said.

Defense Minister Phil Goff said most New Zealanders would not need the money as motivation. “They will provide the information if they know anything that will help the police,” he said.

Clark said earlier that the theft was “distressing to the nation” but that New Zealand has the means under international law to get back such stolen cultural items if they surface in another country.

Maybe the “thieves” or “burglars” who stole the 9 VCs (Victoria Cross) were professionals who are really good in what they are doing, but somehow I strongly feel that the security at the Army museum should have been tighter! For something as precious as a “national treasure” like the Victoria Cross, how could they be “allowed” to be stolen (and from an ARMY MUSEUM somemore!!!)? Why aren’t there guards on duty to guard them? Why were the criminals “given” the opportunity to attempt and eventually succeeded in stealing the valour medals?

“The Opportunity For Victory Is Given By The Enemy” - Sun Tzu’s Art of War

Anyway, I really hope that the 9 Victoria Crosses that have been stolen could be recovered soon and put in better secured facilities.

regards
hanyi

Technorati Tags: Victoria Cross, Victoria Cross Valor Medal, VC Medals, 9 Victoria Cross Valor Medals Stolen, Military Medals, New Zealand, JustNice.Org