By Victoria Stone-Meadows
A yoga instructor who works in Lynbrook is appealing to thieves who stole his Ironman medal during a break-in to return his priceless prize.
Darren Crompton arrived at the yoga studio, on Raylee Place in Lynbrook, on the morning of Monday 23 January to find the front of the studio had been smashed.
“When I pulled up I could see the door smashed – we had been broken into once before in April so I knew what had happened,” he said.
“The glass front door had been smashed in to get access to the lock from the inside,” he said.
“There was some clothing in the ground they had dropped on their way out and they had made quite a mess and ransacked the reception area.”
“I had a look around to see what was missing; a TV had been taken off the wall and another one from upstairs, the usual things robbers steal.”
“I noticed that they went through the draws and had found the Ironman medal.”
Mr Crompton won the distinctive medal in 1999 when he competed in the gruelling Ironman competition in Hawaii.
He said he was upset to find the thieves had taken his medal as to him it is irreplaceable.
“Other things from in the studio are replaceable but the medal is not worth anything to anyone else,” Mr Crompton said.
“I worked very long and hard for it; I spent nine years just in the training, all I have is that memento and the memories.”
Mr Crompton thanked the police for their quick response to the break-in and their efforts in trying to get his medal back but is hoping someone in the community will come forward who knows about it.
“I don’t care who has taken it, I just want the medal back, I can replace the tools that were taken but I can’t replace the medal.”
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the medal are urged to contact Casey CIU on 5991 0600 or make and anonymous report to crime stoppers on 1800 333 000.
