A man who allegedly stole a gorilla statue from a retirement home has been charged after handing himself into police.
‘Garry’ the 1.5 metre silverback gorilla statue disappeared from the Leith Park retirement village at St Helena, in Melbourne’s northeast, on June 6.
Victoria Police this week tracked the statue down to a yard of a property in the nearby suburb of Reservoir before returning Garry to the retirement village on Wednesday.
A 33-year-old man from Heidelberg Heights, about 7km from Reservoir, handed himself into police and was interviewed on Friday morning.
He has since been charged with theft, handle stolen goods and drive whilst disqualified.
During a raid of his home, police also found 24 suspectedly stolen drivers’ licenses and prescription medication.
The Police Air Wing had been called in to conduct a covert fly over of the house in Reservoir on Monday before Garry was spotted between two sheds.
Investigators have admitted they don’t know what prompted the man to allegedly steal the statue.
The 33-year-old was granted bail and is due to appear at Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on August 30.
‘Garry’ the 1.5 metre silverback gorilla statue disappeared from the Leith Park retirement village at St Helena, in Melbourne ‘s northeast, on June 6
Garry was spotted at a Melbourne property during a police flyover on Monday
