12 Apr 2015

Theft of war medals investigated

4:50 pm on 12 April 2015

Investigations are underway into the theft of war medals that were being sent from Melbourne to Dunedin.

A picture of the stolen medals.

Photo: Supplied

Australian police said the package was sent via registered post from a post office in Doveton in Melbourne to Dunedin on 4 February.

They said it contained six medals, six miniature medals, a Gallipoli lapel, an RSA badge, a ribbon bar, service records and medal photographs.

Police said the package had been tampered with and then re-sealed and all of the items except the service records and photographs were missing.

Police said it was not known when the medals were removed.

They said the medals originally belonged to a man who served at Gallipoli with New Zealand Mounted Rifles.

He also served in the New Zealand Air Force during World War II and was a founding member of the Wellington Gallipoli Veterans' Association, as well as being a member of the New Zealand War Amputees' Association.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs