'Lion statue bandits' return with flowers and a card for Pennsylvania residents

Thieves who stole a lion statue from a Pennsylvania home returned it – with flowers and a card – after police posted surveillance video of the crime.

West Chester Borough Police Department posted video of the “lion statue bandits” on Friday, asking anyone with information about the theft to contact the department. In the video, timestamped around 10:45 p.m. April 3, two individuals are seen opening a fence, picking up a lion statue and running away. 

"Soon after we posted the video of the lion statue being taken from a residence in the Borough, it was returned... with flowers and a card," the police department shared on Facebook Sunday. 

In a new video, the two individuals are seen carrying the lion statue back to the home, placing it in the lawn. Then, one runs to the door step and lays a bouquet of wrapped flowers on the front porch. 

Police said the owner was glad to have the statue back and told the thieves it was a "smart move to return the property."

Authorities are no longer looking for the thieves and the lion statue owners do not want to press charges, West Chester Borough Police Department told USA TODAY.

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