Lion's safari comes to an end

Ron Pratt's stolen lion has been returned to his Ahuriri antique store. Photo / Duncan Brown

A stolen lion has been recovered by police after a brazen daylight robbery.

The Whales Tale Antiques proprietor Ron Pratt said it was one of a matched pair that guarded the entrance to his Ahuriri shop until recently, when a man stopped his vehicle outside and took it while witnesses questioned his actions.

"It is about three or four feet long and three of my neighbours saw him take it," he said.

"One of them said, 'Hey have you paid for that?' because he looked a bit shady and he said, 'Yeah, yeah man, that's mine'."

The vehicle's license plate was recorded, police called "and they have finally caught the guy".