Dual premiership winning Richmond star to be reunited with his grand final medals after police sting locates them almost two years after they were stolen

Richmond Tigers star Shai Bolton will get his AFL premiership medals back, almost two years after they were stolen from his home.

Police seized the premiership medals after searching a home in Seaford during an investigation into a series of burglaries in Melbourne’s south-east.

The 2019 and 2020 medals were stolen from Bolton’s home in Malvern on December 18, 2022.

The soccer star was not at home in Western Australia when the theft occurred.

“It is very sad that such precious items, such as my championship medals, are being taken in this way,” Bolton said after the event.

“If anyone has any information about where they might be or information that could help with their return, it would mean a lot to me and my family.”

A 36-year-old Seaford man was arrested on Tuesday and charged with 104 offences, including 29 counts of criminal damage, 29 counts of burglary and 17 counts of theft.

“Given the sentimental value attached to these medals, we were extremely pleased to find them during our search today,” Detective Inspector Grant Lewis said.

The championship medals were recovered after police searched a house in Seaford

“We look forward to getting the medals back to their rightful owner as winning the flag means a lot to him and his family.”

‘This morning’s warrant was the culmination of a police investigation into an alleged series of burglaries in Melbourne’s south-east, which also targeted more than 30 businesses.’

The authenticity of the medals was checked at AFL House on Tuesday afternoon.

AFL spokesman Jay Allen thanked police for finding the precious belongings.

“An AFL Premiership medal is one of the most cherished awards in our sport and we know how devastated Shai was when they were stolen,” he said.

Bolton will soon be reunited with his cherished premiership medals

“On behalf of everyone at the AFL and the Richmond Football Club, we would like to thank Victoria Police for locating his 2019 and 2020 medals and we look forward to returning them to Shai soon.”

Bolton aren’t the only Championship winners to lose their medals. Western Bulldogs legend Easton Wood – who led the club to the 2016 flag – had his medal stolen from his Albert Park home in April 2020.

That break-in also occurred when Wood was not home, and his watch, a drone and a World War I identification tag were stolen.

He planned to give the medal as a gift to his newborn daughter, Matilda.