18 Feb 2015

Yacht owners want to retrieve memorabilia

8:05 pm on 18 February 2015

The Whangarei owners of a stolen boat that's turned up in Sydney say they may not get the boat back but they're hoping to at least recover the family memorabilia on board.

Two fugitive New Zealanders, Paul Bennett and Simone Wright, are in custody in Sydney, charged with taking the yacht Harlech from Opua early this month.

The owners Steve and Carol Holland had the boat on the market when it was stolen and say they're not sure what the insurers will do with it.

But Mrs Holland said they were keen to retrieve personal effects, including family trip records going back 13 years.

She said it was a relief the boat had been found, thanks mainly to yachties who posted photos of it all over social media.

A New Zealand student on holiday in Sydney spotted the Harlech from a friend's balcony and phoned the Hollands on Monday night.

The couple charged with stealing the boat were wanted in New Zealand over fraud and other allegations.

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