‘Naturally, Helen Clark was very suspicious of big money offered by a private individual. ‘

Personally I think michael is using smoke and mirrors…he was the guy offering millions of dollars for the VC and is known to be obsessed about owning the biggest collection, what a prime candidate to be the end user for a ‘hot’ VC me thinks!

I too would be restrained in my enthuisiasm at this (early) stage of the investigation.

I believe he is already under investigation on this matter…

[DPF: And that's 30 demerits for such defamatory comments]

Brian – your father might have seen Elliott winning the VC, but would not have seen him wearing it in action. Medals aren’t worn in action. In fact, from memory Elliot was brought home very soon after being awarded the medal.

People do this stuff because the rewards far outweigh the punishments if caught.

Actually that goes for all crime.

And, guys, let’s be a bit adult here. The lefties are not in the frame. This kind of crime could happen at any time and who is the government of the day is totally irrelevant.

Indeed, Dave.

First, I’d note the theft is the subject of an ongoing Police investigation that (sensibly) is not being conducted through the media.

And I don’t want to get into an lengthy (and rather boring to 99% of readers, I’m sure) historical rant, but the Army Museum at Waiouru has never exactly been awash in public largess for all kinds of reasons.

From the Museum’s own website:

For many years New Zealanders had been reluctant to commemorate their military history and as a result plans for a national war museum had not eventuated.

The New Zealand Army had maintained small collections and displays at Dunedin, Burnham, Linton and Waiouru. In 1964, a small museum was established in the original Waiouru Homestead and it wasn’t until thirteen years later that the Chief of General Staff, Major-General Ronald Hassett (a veteran of WWII and Korea) launched “Operation Heritage” to develop a national Army Museum.

The Museum was designed to function as a memorial; to acquire, preserve and display aspects of New Zealand’s military history; and to serve as a research and teaching facility.

Events moved rapidly: the Army Memorial Museum Trust Board was incorporated in August 1977. Spearheaded by a well-publicised run across New Zealand by Major Albert Kiwi and his dog Freefall, fund-raising got underway. The builders soon followed and Army Engineers and voluntary labour braved a tough winter to complete the Sir Miles Warren designed fortress-like structure in just 276 days. The Governor General opened the 1300-square metre Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial Museum on 15 October 1978.

[Source: http://www.armymuseum.co.nz/about-us/ ]

Remind me, Tim, who was on the Treasury benches in 1978? From the very beginning, the museum has operated on the proverbial smell of an oily rage, and the enormous generosity of servicemen and women, veterans and their families, collectors and military historians. But if you want to put a party political angle on this, let’s be fair and spread the blame around successive governments.

Maybe it would have been better to spend $200,000 on engaging a top-flight private investigation team to track the medals down and get them back by any means possible (including breaking all the bones of the people who stole them).

And, guys, let’s be a bit adult here. The lefties are not in the frame. This kind of crime could happen at any time and who is the government of the day is totally irrelevant.