'Interesting leads' as police hunt VC thieves

The damaged remains of the Valour Alcove at the Waiouru Army Museum. Photo / Alan Gibson

Police say they are confident they will get a successful result as the hunt for 96 war medals, including nine VCs, continues.

The medals were stolen in a burglary of the Waiouru Army Museum on December 2.

On Tuesday afternoon police executed search warrants, including one at a Waiouru Army base work area.

Detective Dennis O'Rourke said the searches were following up leads revealed in interviews with Waiouru people.

So far, he said, the investigation had no formal suspects, but police were focusing on a number of "people of interest".

"We've had a number of persons nominated as possibles - you get that in any inquiry - and what you have to do is either brick them in or show that they couldn't have committed the offence.

"We're still following a number of what we think are interesting leads. We certainly haven't given up hope at all, we're still confident we'll get a successful result," he said.

Meanwhile, police are looking for a 1980s to 1990s light-coloured stationwagon that was seen near the museum at the time of the burglary.

There are renewed concerns the medals may have left the country.

"We're keeping an open mind on the subject, but there's no evidence the medals have gone overseas," said Mr O'Rourke. He said in the past couple of weeks, border controls had turned up a number of medals legitimately.

"It shows the system's working."

- NZPA