The Grinch who stole Christmas may have had a change of heart, unexpectedly returning Christmas goods stolen from the house of a New Zealand family, police have said.
But there was "not really a happy ending" to the saga, according to Senior Constable John Chambers, with most of the stolen goods - which had been bought as Christmas gifts - likely to be thrown out because they had been badly damaged.
Stereo and DVD equipment, antiques and kitchen appliances were taken during a burglary late on Dec. 15 at a property at Bannockburn, near the town of Cromwell on South Island.
Most of the NZ$20,000 (NT$492,000) worth of goods were returned several hours later, wrapped in a sheet and left on the roadside outside the house.
The burglars returned again on the Monday to drop off two remote controls, which they left in the mailbox.
Trouble was, Chambers said, "90 percent of the goods are damaged," with a NZ$5,000 (NT$123,000) LCD screen only fit for the local rubbish dump, along with most of the other returned items.
Chambers said apart from the thieves having "a change of heart," it was possible they were living "fairly close" to the scene of the burglary.
People there may have "read the riot act to them and told them to get the stuff out of their house and return it quick smart," he said. "It's a shame they didn't take more care of the equipment."
At the time of the burglary, the homeowner's 16-year-old son was the only person in the house, but had slept through it, Chambers said.
The teenager had left the front door unlocked and lights on as his father was due to arrive home early on the following morning. The family has insurance.(AP)
偷耶誕禮物的鬼靈精可能改變心意了，警方表示，紐西蘭一間民宅被偷的耶誕物品出乎意料地物歸原主。
The Grinch who stole Christmas may have had a change of heart, unexpectedly returning Christmas goods stolen from the house of a New Zealand family, police have said.
But there was "not really a happy ending" to the saga, according to Senior Constable John Chambers, with most of the stolen goods - which had been bought as Christmas gifts - likely to be thrown out because they had been badly damaged.
Stereo and DVD equipment, antiques and kitchen appliances were taken during a burglary late on Dec. 15 at a property at Bannockburn, near the town of Cromwell on South Island.
Most of the NZ$20,000 (NT$492,000) worth of goods were returned several hours later, wrapped in a sheet and left on the roadside outside the house.
The burglars returned again on the Monday to drop off two remote controls, which they left in the mailbox.
Trouble was, Chambers said, "90 percent of the goods are damaged," with a NZ$5,000 (NT$123,000) LCD screen only fit for the local rubbish dump, along with most of the other returned items.
Chambers said apart from the thieves having "a change of heart," it was possible they were living "fairly close" to the scene of the burglary.
People there may have "read the riot act to them and told them to get the stuff out of their house and return it quick smart," he said. "It's a shame they didn't take more care of the equipment."
At the time of the burglary, the homeowner's 16-year-old son was the only person in the house, but had slept through it, Chambers said.
The teenager had left the front door unlocked and lights on as his father was due to arrive home early on the following morning. The family has insurance.(AP)
偷耶誕禮物的鬼靈精可能改變心意了，警方表示，紐西蘭一間民宅被偷的耶誕物品出乎意料地物歸原主。
高階警官約翰．錢伯斯表示，但這個故事並不是以「快樂的結局」結尾，因為大部份遭竊物品─買來當作耶誕禮物─都受到嚴重破壞，所以它們很可能都會被丟棄。
本月十五日，夜賊光顧南島克倫威爾鎮附近班諾本的一棟民宅，偷走音響和影碟播放設備、古董和廚房用品。
幾小時後，大部份失竊物品被包在一塊床單裡，棄置在遭竊民宅屋外的街邊。這些失竊物品市值兩萬紐幣（新台幣四十九萬兩千元）。
隔週一，竊賊又把兩支遙控器丟回失主的信箱裡。
錢伯斯表示，麻煩的是「有九成物品都遭受破壞」，其中原本市值五千紐幣（新台幣十二萬三千元）的液晶螢幕只能丟到當地垃圾場，其他大部份歸還物品的下場也差不多。
錢伯斯說，除了竊賊「回心轉意」之外，他們很可能就住在失竊地點附近。
當地可能有人「對偷兒提出警告，叫他們趕緊將東西弄出房子，歸還原處。」他說：「只可惜他們沒有好好保護這些物品。」
錢伯斯說，竊案發生時失主家裡只有屋主十六歲的兒子一個人在家，但他在熟睡中並未發現。
這名年輕人當天沒有鎖前門，還留了一盞燈給凌晨會返家的父親。還好他們有保險。（美聯社／翻譯：袁星塵）
高階警官約翰．錢伯斯表示，但這個故事並不是以「快樂的結局」結尾，因為大部份遭竊物品─買來當作耶誕禮物─都受到嚴重破壞，所以它們很可能都會被丟棄。
本月十五日，夜賊光顧南島克倫威爾鎮附近班諾本的一棟民宅，偷走音響和影碟播放設備、古董和廚房用品。
幾小時後，大部份失竊物品被包在一塊床單裡，棄置在遭竊民宅屋外的街邊。這些失竊物品市值兩萬紐幣（新台幣四十九萬兩千元）。
隔週一，竊賊又把兩支遙控器丟回失主的信箱裡。
錢伯斯表示，麻煩的是「有九成物品都遭受破壞」，其中原本市值五千紐幣（新台幣十二萬三千元）的液晶螢幕只能丟到當地垃圾場，其他大部份歸還物品的下場也差不多。
錢伯斯說，除了竊賊「回心轉意」之外，他們很可能就住在失竊地點附近。
當地可能有人「對偷兒提出警告，叫他們趕緊將東西弄出房子，歸還原處。」他說：「只可惜他們沒有好好保護這些物品。」
錢伯斯說，竊案發生時失主家裡只有屋主十六歲的兒子一個人在家，但他在熟睡中並未發現。
這名年輕人當天沒有鎖前門，還留了一盞燈給凌晨會返家的父親。還好他們有保險。（美聯社／翻譯：袁星塵）
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