Stolen Utahraptor recovered in Australian Capital Territory

Monday, March 25, 2013

Today —Monday— in Page, Australian Capital Territory, ACT Policing recovered a 1.6 metre (5 foot 3 inch) tall stolen fiberglass Utahraptor dinosaur which had been stolen this past Thursday from Canberra's Gold Creek based National Dinosaur Museum. The museum is about 8.7 kilometres (5.4 miles) from Page where the dinosaur was recovered.

ACT Policing recovered the dinosaur, valued at AU$2500 (about US$2600 or €2000), after an earlier potential lead on Facebook gossip page Canberra Confessions had them searching for the missing dinosaur at Shepherds Lookout, near Holt, roughly 16.5 kilometres (19.25 miles) away.

According to the police, a 20-year-old man stole the Utahraptor as part of a birthday prank and had planned to return the Utahraptor to the museum later today. Police described the thief as contrite and apologetic.

Museum manager Richard Mancuso is quoted by The Canberra Times saying, "We are exceptionally happy it has been found after a few days and it is great that the police will be able to resolve the matter".

The dinosaur was returned by the police to the museum with its tail detached. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation report it is unclear whether the museum and police plan to pursue charges against the dinosaur thief.

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Sources

Tom McIlroy. "Stolen dinosaur uncovered in Page home" — The Canberra Times, March 25, 2013
"Stolen dinosaur discovered in Canberra sunroom" — ABC News (Australia), March 25, 2013

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