Editorial: Proactive folk nail fugitives

Carol and Steve Holland's yacht Harlech has turned up off Sydney after it was spotted from an apartment balcony.

A yacht stolen in Northland is recovered in Sydney.

How?

Interpol? A concerted Anzac police investigation, political diplomats intervening?

No.

The owners put photos of the missing yacht on the internet.

And then a young Kiwi looking out to sea from his Sydney balcony saw the yacht and contacted the owner.

Easy. Remarkable.

Steve and Carol Holland had gone to board their yacht at Opua on Waitangi Day for a quiet weekend of sailing.

It wasn't there. Turned out two fugitives - with a $50,000 bounty on their heads - were on the run at the same time.

One of them had an Australian passport. And sailing experience.

Hmmmmm.

Yes, police said, we are looking into the link.

Yes, said Picton businessman Mike Jacomb - I will pay $50,000 for information leading to the pair's arrest.

Turns out the pair are accused of taking money from Mr Jacomb's business.

Steve and Carol Holland did their bit too - they spread the word, and pictures, about the disappearance of their yacht Harlech.

Harlech started appearing on yachting websites around the Pacific.

And Felix Fielding, 19, a student from Auckland on a working holiday in Sydney, spotted the yacht from a friend's balcony in Avoca Beach, Sydney, on Monday night.

Mr Fielding took a photo and sent it to Mr Holland - the sighting was confirmed.

If the Hollands hadn't been proactive, Mr Fielding would never have recognised the vessel. And if Mr Fielding hadn't been proactive, the missing pair and the yacht would not have been seized by police.

The Hollands and Mr Fielding deserve to share the $50,000 reward for their respective roles in finding the missing pair, and the yacht.

Hopefully in the Hollands' case it will help soften the blow of someone stealing a prized possession, and sailing it off to another country.