A Tauranga woman whose father's Queen's Service Medal was stolen during a burglary at a Tauranga rest home, yesterday received welcome compensation for her loss.
The medal, awarded to Joy Salmons' father, Jack Johnston, in 1998, was stolen from the safe at Oakland Health and Rehabilitation, where she lives, in August 2008. Also taken was jewellery, $60,000 in cash and other precious items belonging to residents.
In a bid to ease Mrs Salmons' pain, Tauranga Detective Peter Farrell contacted MP for Tauranga Simon Bridges to see if a replacement medal could be obtained.
Mr Bridges wrote to the Honours Secretariat, which administers the New Year and Queen's Birthday Honours lists, and a representative explained a strict policy against medals being re-created after the death of the recipient.
Instead, they provided a copy of the citation - explaining the medal followed Mr Johnston's years of dedication to sport, coaching rugby, bowls and rowing - which Mr Bridges presented to Mrs Salmons at the rest home yesterday.
With it was a personal letter from Prime Minister John Key who said he was "greatly saddened" to learn about the medal's theft and hoped the citation would help Mrs Salmons continue to recognise and honour her father's services to New Zealand.
Mrs Salmons said the citation, which she would hang framed on her wall "meant a lot".
She had lost hope that the medal would be returned but said if she could get the man who stole it, "he would be in real trouble".
"I'd love to have it back, Dad was so proud, even though he was so crook, he was so proud."
Mrs Salmons acknowledged Mr Farrell's efforts in trying to get the medal back: "The policeman has done a lot for me."
At one point, Mr Farrell said he was told the safe which had held the medal had been dumped by the river opposite Morton Estate Winery near Katikati. He searched but found no sign.
Merivale man Paul Tipene, 30, was jailed for four years for the burglary but maintains his innocence.
Mr Farrell has contacted medal dealers asking if they have received the medal.
Anyone with information on the QSM is asked to call Tauranga Police Station on (07) 577 4300, or anonymously on 0800 SPEAK UP.
Citation not dad's medal but it helps
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