[MSN] Reward offered for 9 stolen New Zealand war valor medals

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Reward offered for 9 stolen New Zealand war valor medals 

The Associated Press 
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 
WELLINGTON, New Zealand: A British nobleman who owns the world's biggest 
collection of Victoria Cross valor medals said Tuesday he is willing to offer 
a US$153,000 (€104,000) reward for the return of nine of the medals stolen 
from a New Zealand army museum.

New Zealand officials said they were considering Lord Michael Ashcroft's offer 
but discussing the matter with police before formally accepting it, with Prime 
Minister Helen Clark noting that such rewards sometimes can serve as an 
incentive for further thefts.

Ashcroft said he was "horrified and outraged" by the weekend theft of nine 
Victoria Cross medals awarded to gallant New Zealanders, including the 
Victoria Cross and Bar awarded to Capt. Charles Upham — which Ashcroft 
described as the "Holy Grail" of such medals.

Upham's medals are the only such double award ever made to a combat soldier.

Inaugurated by Britain's Queen Victoria in the mid-1800s, the Victoria Cross 
for gallantry in war remains the highest valor award in Britain and its former 
colonies.

Ashcroft said he was offering the reward for information leading directly to 
the recovery of the nine medals.

Clark said the offer from Ashcroft, who owns more than 140 of the rare medals, 
was generous but that she would need to take police advice on it.

"One of the issues that always arises is whether you should encourage the 
posting of such offers because it could in the worst of circumstances be an 
incentive to theft," she said.

Defense Minister Phil Goff said most New Zealanders would not need the money 
as motivation. "They will provide the information if they know anything that 
will help the police," he said.

Clark said earlier that the theft was "distressing to the nation" but that New 
Zealand has the means under international law to get back such stolen cultural 
items if they surface in another country.