A priceless Maori artefact discovered missing last week from Parihaka Pa has been found.
Police say evidence supplied by a middle-aged Waikato woman was vital in recovering the greenstone mere, which belonged to prophet Te Whiti O Rongomai.
"We have had a team of officers working hard since the theft making area enquiries," says Sgt Jeremy Bull, "and we clearly rattled some cages as it resulted in a witness going to Melville Police Station in the Waikato and providing vital information."
Melville police contacted their Taranaki colleagues, whom last night located the mere in an area of bush near Opunake.
"It was an excellent community effort and I have to say a great big thank you to the people of the marae who spoke with us, and put faith in us to recover the relic," says Sgt Bull.
"We returned it last night to the elders in a small but deeply moving ceremony."
No arrests have been made yet, but police are still investigating.
Thieves had smashed through the glass casing which held the mere in the tomb at Parihaka Pa, 55km southwest of New Plymouth.
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