Stolen WWI Medals Mysteriously Returned

Relief as family heirloom reappears at war memorial after theft.

A veteran’s stolen World War I medals have been anonymously returned to a war memorial museum in Wellsford, bringing relief after a “gut-wrenching” theft from his grandson’s mailbox.

Medals’ Journey

The medals, which belonged to decorated soldier Elmer James Conlon, were discovered in the returns bin at the Wellsford War Memorial Museum yesterday.

Pat Conlon, the grandson of Elmer James Conlon, reported the theft to police on Wednesday after the valuable parcel containing the medals vanished from his mailbox.

Earlier this week, Pat described the theft as “gut-wrenching”. Subsequently, police appealed to the public for any information that could help locate the medals.

Police Investigation

Police were alerted after museum staff found the medals in their returns bin. It appears someone dropped them off overnight.

Senior Sergeant Damian Lawn stated that they were pleased the medals were returned and that “whoever took these medals did the right thing and returned them – obviously they are hugely significant to Mr Conlon and we are glad to be able to reunite him with them.”

Authorities have fingerprinted the medals and are continuing their investigation into the theft. The parcel was delivered on July 1 but disappeared before Pat Conlon could retrieve it.

The return of the medals offers a sense of closure for the family, especially considering that property crimes in the area are on the rise, with a 15% increase reported in the last quarter (Statista, 2024).

Family History

The medals had been lost to the family for decades. After a long search, they were finally located and sent to Pat by courier.

The priceless family heirloom was stolen from a rural mailbox near Wellsford before Pat could collect it—just meters from its destination.

“They were the only thing I had from my grandfather,” Pat said. “To think they were finally coming back built my hopes up — I was overjoyed about the whole thing.”

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Elmer James Conlon served in the American Navy on the battleship Louisiana. He later settled in Herekino, a small town in Northland, New Zealand, after deserting his post in Auckland.

To become a New Zealand citizen, Elmer fought in the First World War, including at the Battle of the Somme, where he earned the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his service. He is buried in the Soldiers’ Section at Hamilton Gardens.