It disappeared for a week, one of the white lions that guard the entrance gate of the Telstar Stadium in Velsen-Zuid. But after a call on social media, he is now back. With a present from the thief: the statue is decked out with a scarf and hat from FC Aalsmeer.
Then the 15 kilo statue after the 1-1 against NAC Breda was stolen on February 16, Telstar was quickly able to identify a main suspect. Images showed that a man from Aalsmeer took the lion with him after the match.
The club did not mention a name, but did post one call on X with the hope that the thief would repent of his own accord. That seems to have had results, because last Saturday the statue was back in its old place:
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“The general call was made with a wink, and it now seems to have been answered with a wink,” says Telstar spokesperson Lon Weijers. He refers to the clothing with which the lion returned to Sportpark Schoonenberg. The statue is decorated with a scarf and hat from FC Aalsmeer.
Weijers finds it difficult to speculate in what way the amateur club is involved in the theft of the lion, if they were even aware of it: “We do suspect that the theft was the work of a ‘delegation’ from FC Aalsmeer, but I have no idea to what extent this was coordinated in advance.”
“We certainly don’t know anything about it”
Inquiry raises eyebrows from a board member of the club from Aalsmeer: ”We certainly know nothing about it. It is of course possible that it was an Aalsmeer supporter, but the whole theft is unknown to us.”
According to Weijers, Telstar can laugh about it: “It’s nice that it has been resolved in such a way. And in time for Roda JC at home.”
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