Intense media and social media scrutiny has resulted in the return of the Baby Bear statue, stolen in the early morning hours Monday from its perch in Chemainussa国际传媒� Secret Garden.

Kathy and Ward Yeager are ecstatic to have the bear back in its rightful place with Mama and Papa Bear at Baby Bears Ice Cream Shoppe.

The bear was found by a trucker off the haul road near the Henry Road roundabout Tuesday morning. A note attached read: sa国际传媒淚 am so sorry for taking the bear.sa国际传媒�

Duncan/North Cowichan RCMP came to the ice cream shoppe to deliver the bear where they met Chris Webb, who does computer work for the Yeagers and was there to see if he could extract more images of the culprit from the surveillance camera at the business.

Webb quickly called the Yeagers with the good news.

sa国际传媒淚 couldnsa国际传媒檛 believe it when we got the call this morning,sa国际传媒� said Kathy.

sa国际传媒淚 hoped it would be returned and Isa国际传媒檓 happy, very happy,sa国际传媒� said Ward.

sa国际传媒淥ur community really pulls together,sa国际传媒� added Kathy. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a community artifact.sa国际传媒�

Baby Bear had his feet ripped out during the theft from a cemented stand, and was a little worse for wear but will now at least be able to heal and get back to his rightful place.

Kathy was quick to credit the staff at the Chemainus Health Care Centresa国际传媒檚 Urgent Care - and, specifically, Dr. Jim Broere and R.N. Gina Boudot - for springing into action.

sa国际传媒淓ven the doctors helped out to get him repaired,sa国际传媒� marvelled Ward. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 the first bear Dr. Broere has operated on.sa国际传媒�

While the medical staff was working on his feet, sa国际传媒渢he I.V. was honey,sa国际传媒� chuckled Ward.

The theft of the bear drew province-wide attention for the senseless nature of the crime where the suspect could be seen repeatedly kicking at the statue to dislodge it, but also as a symbol of escalating incidents pertaining to property crime in communities.

Ward expressed his gratitude to the news media for the response that undoubtedly had something to do with the bearsa国际传媒檚 return.

sa国际传媒淲e had so many thousands of people whosa国际传媒檝e responded,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淭he Garden here is a little bit of Chemainus. Everybody likes to come here. Everybody has taken a bit of ownership of this. This is a moment I can say wesa国际传媒檝e got a nice ending here, albeit wesa国际传媒檝e got a bit of repair to do. Hesa国际传媒檚 part of the family.sa国际传媒�

Video surveillance was crucial, too, with clear images of the suspect being released, Ward added.

sa国际传媒淭his was actually very violent when you take a look at the video. When you steal things, yousa国际传媒檙e not going to do that anonymity anymore. If I was him, Isa国际传媒檇 be terribly embarrassed. I think his family should be terribly embarrassed what he did.sa国际传媒�

The Yeagers arensa国际传媒檛 about to let him off the hook just because the bearsa国际传媒檚 been returned and hope hesa国际传媒檒l still be identified to face charges.

Fairy tales and fables do come true, and the tale of the Three Bears, in Chemainus at least, does have a happy ending.

sa国际传媒淚n the spring, I think wesa国际传媒檒l have a grand opening where Baby Bear will be re-installed,sa国际传媒� said Ward.

At the same time, there will be free ice cream for all.