The manager of the Hastings-based Nga Tukemata o Kahungunu trust, got a telephone call on Tuesday night that he had hoped for but never dared to expect.
A puzzled Hastings grandmother contacted Jim Edwards to say she had found a half metre-long object sealed in bubblewrap in her letterbox with
his name and telephone number attached.
The object turned out to be a greenstone patu (Maori club), one of the founding taonga (treasures) of the Maori art and culture trust stolen from the trust's Heretaunga Street East shop last Sunday.
By the way it was wrapped Mr Edwards was convinced it had been on its way to a buyer.
"Thank goodness we've got it back. I was so pleased . . . just overwhelmed at what's happened," he said.
Mr Edwards took the patu and wrapping to the Hastings police where they are being tested for fingerprints.
The burglar alarm was set off on Sunday by someone breaking in through the shop skylight and dropping seven metres to the concrete floor. The cabinet containing the patu was broken into, and the front doors smashed on the way out.
While Mr Edwards was relieved to get back the patu, which had not been for sale, he said it was disappointing that thieves had targeted the charitable trust twice in the past four months.
A bone replica of an historic weapon is still missing.
- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY
