Burglar steals a treasured memory

PRECIOUS: The pin presented to a Kaitaia woman in recognition of her Olympian grandfather, stolen by a burglar.

A Kaitaia woman and her family were delighted to receive a special memento of her grandfather last year, but now it's been stolen.

A burglar broke into her home, jimmying the back door, some time between 8.45am and 1pm on Friday last week, taking a large quantity of jewellery (some inherited from her mother and grandmother, including amber and crystal necklaces, and a cultured pearl necklace she received from her grandmother on her 21st birthday), a camera, frozen food, a midwife's cross, four ornamental Solomon Island spears, a briefcase containing all sorts of important family documents and even some mouthwash.

What really hurt though was losing a pin recognising her grandfather's status as the first New Zealander to compete at an Olympic Games, and the first New Zealander to win a gold medal.

Michael Victor Lindberg was born in Fiji, of Swedish and Irish descent, but settled in Whangarei as a child.

A talented and successful swimmer, he competed at the Paris Games in 1900 as a member of the British water polo team, which won the gold medal.

Each of his direct descendants received a copy of his certificate and a centenary Olympic pin, ordinarily given only to Olympic athletes, at a ceremony organised by the New Zealand Olympic Committee last year.

The victim said the loss of the pin had saddened her and her family, but she remained philosophical.

"It's a broken world we live in," she said.

"Some young people don't have a chance these days.

"Their parents throw them out because they don't behave, and what do they have? Nothing."

She had lived at the address since 1978, and had been burgled once before, many years ago, the haul on that occasion including icecream (which the thieves, who were disturbed by a neighbour, wrapped in a sheepskin) and biscuits.

The only good thing that could be said this time was that the burglar had been tidy.

"He looked everywhere, but he didn't leave a mess," she added.

A police spokesman said he was following a promising lead in terms of identifying the offender, while the stolen property could be returned to the victim via the Kaitaia police station or the Northland Age.