Three Gold Medals And One Silver Olympic Stolen From Australian Rowing Legendary Car

Drew Ginn's lost medal was stolen. (Source: Victoria Police)

JAKARTA - Australian police managed to arrest and charge the alleged thief of four Olympic medals belonging to the country's rower Drew Ginn, but are still investigating the whereabouts of three gold medals and one silver that have not been found.

The suspect, who is 47 years old, is wanted under a warrant for the alleged theft. He was arrested on Wednesday in Brunswick, a northern suburb of Melbourne.

Authorities said Ginn's medal was believed to have been stolen from behind his Land Rover parked in the Victorian capital about a week ago, reported by CNN Sept. 14.

A GoPro camera, headphones, and diving clothing were also stolen, Police said Ginn had left the items along with the medal in his car while speaking at a school.

Ginn is one of Australia's most accomplished Olympic athletes and is a member of the champion rowing crew known as "The Oarsome Foursome."

He won the medal for nearly two decades in a career at the Olympics which began in the 1996 match in Atlanta and continued into the 2012 London Olympics.

"The Medals are invaluable to family and friends, but you can't insure them," Ginn told ABC Radio Melbourne public broadcaster on Friday.

"The media were hidden in the car, but the car was searched completely so that many items were damaged and destroyed," he added.

The 49-year-old voiced hope, rather than being sold, the medals may return to their rightful owners.

"Maybe there's a market out there for something like this but you hope common sense will play a role and, in the end, I know other medals have been returned in the past years so we hope it happens in this case," Ginn hoped.

The police have released photos of the medals and asked people to be vigilant, in case they are seen being sold on an online pawnshop or platform.

Meanwhile, suspected thieves have been charged with theft of motorized vehicles, obtaining goods by cheating, obtaining financial benefits by cheating, and handling stolen goods.