Stolen gnomes return home

Terry Cooke and Roz Cooke were gutted when the fairy garden was taken from their garden.

A collection of missing Katikati gnomes, stolen last week from Levely Estate grandparents, have made their way home.

The wandering gnomes, along with an assortment of garden ornaments, were taken from Terry and Roz Cooke's "fairy garden" last Wednesday.

The sentimental ornaments, worth about $400, were found by a surprised Mr Cooke.

"On Sunday morning I walked to the end of the driveway and there was a cardboard box sitting there," said Mr Cooke.

In the box were almost all of the missing ornaments, and a note which read:

"I'm so sorry about all this I didn't know where they came from. So, drunk mates thought it was funny to take them.

Terry and Roz Cooke's ornaments were returned in a box with a note of apology.

"I'm so sorry but I hope these are all yours this is what we found here."

Mrs Cooke was thrilled to see the ornaments again.

"Restores one's faith in Katikati people," she said.

The couple had no idea who had taken the ornaments, or who had brought them back.

The only casualty was one gnome with a broken arm and a fairy bridge which had not been returned.

The pieces had been collected over a long period of time, with some ornaments belonging to Mrs Cooke's late mother.

It had been created for the Cookes' granddaughters, who visit from Australia.

The granddaughters had been informed of the return of the gnomes and ornaments, and were "very happy", said Mr Cooke.

The gnomes will be sleeping inside while Mr Cooke gives them a fresh coat of paint, but will return to the fairy garden in the future.

A little mystery

One of the most famous stolen gnomes, Murphy, took a trip around the world after he
was abducted from his home in England.

Murphy was returned seven months later sitting next to 48 photographs, which included
him abseiling, swimming with sharks and even visiting New Zealand.