Stolen shipwreck binoculars returned to Napier owners

A historically-significant pair of binoculars that disappeared from an address in Westshore have been recovered after a public appeal that offered a reward.

The binoculars stolen from Britney Heaps' property on Westshore. Photo / Britney Heaps

The binoculars had come from the wreck of Japanese fishing boat the Kinei Maru, which foundered on Raoul Island in the Kermadecs in 1986.

The binoculars disappeared when inadvertently left outside on a verandah, and police say they have ongoing inquiries after a report of a burglary that is thought to have occurred in the early hours of Wednesday.

Items had been stolen from outside the house between 9pm on Tuesday and 3am on Wednesday, and police, after viewing CCTV from a site in the area, wanted to speak with the driver of a Mazda MPV vehicle or anyone who might have seen suspicious activity.

Binoculars owner Rod Heaps said when he heard the binoculars had disappeared he thought he’d never see them again, and that, because of their uniqueness, they could be disposed of as “too hot to handle”.

On going public, he said: “I thought it was a long shot. Thankfully it worked.”