Nathan Begley.
Offers have poured in to help Special Olympian and
rugby-mad Nathan Begley replace his beloved All Blacks jersey,
stolen while he was training at the Waitaki Recreation Centre
gym on Wednesday evening.
The theft left the 26-year-old Palmerston man, who has Down
syndrome, devastated. He enjoys wearing rugby jerseys, and
had collected and sold pine cones to earn $180 to buy the All
Black jersey and cap to wear while he was on holiday in
Australia.
The theft, between 5.40pm and 6.40pm on Wednesday, was
reported to Oamaru police and a news report was published in
yesterday's Otago Daily Times.
That prompted offers of help to replace the jersey,
co-ordinated by Oamaru police community constable Bruce Dow.
Const Dow said Mr Begley's family was overwhelmed by the
offers of support, which ranged from offering replacement
jerseys to donations to help buy a new one.
Const Dow was collating the offers pending any information
about the person who stole the jersey or it being returned.
- david.bruce@odt.co.nz
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