What began as shameful acts when visitors to the Parkes Elvis Festival were targeted by thieves, have turned into a good news story thanks to the efforts of Parkes Police officers and the public.
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There were three particular incidents of theft during the festival when an estimated 25,000 Elvis fans descended on the town from January 4-8.
While dealing with stolen property is nothing new for police, Parkes Police Officer in Charge Chief Inspector Scott Rayner said the cases were particularly poignant because of the stories behind the items.
Two pushbikes belonging to visitors to town had been stolen early on in the festival - one from the roof racks of a car parked in Bogan Street owned by a child who had saved up to purchase the bike; the other, an electric bike, stolen from around the corner in Welcome Street to where its owner, a sketch artist was working.
The third incident happened at the back of the Cambridge Hotel where electronic equipment, including lap tops and iPads, were stolen from a parked car belonging to an entertainer.
"The stolen property has all been recovered by police and returned to their owners," Chief Inspector Rayner said.
"The child now has his bike back."
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Chief Inspector Rayner said social media posts and images had been shared and thanks to the hard work of all involved, the items were found and returned, much to the relief of their owners.
"It's poignant because the visitors in town, they were the victims and each had their own story," he said.
"Like the poor kid was saving up for the bike.
"Our priority was getting the gear back to their owners.
"You don't want the event tarnished by that sort of thing."
Chief Inspector Rayner said they will now take the next step in their investigations of the thefts.
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Christine Little
I love sharing people's stories, particularly local stories that are special and important to the people of Parkes. If there is one thing I have learnt in my 10 years of community journalism, it's that stories are everywhere. All it takes is a good story teller to make it worth reading. Email: christine.little@parkeschampionpost.com.au
I love sharing people's stories, particularly local stories that are special and important to the people of Parkes. If there is one thing I have learnt in my 10 years of community journalism, it's that stories are everywhere. All it takes is a good story teller to make it worth reading. Email: christine.little@parkeschampionpost.com.au
