Man offers $500 reward for return of his beloved Teddy Bear

A $500 reward has been put up for the return of a middle-aged Teddy Bear last seen at the Dux Live music venue in Christchurch, New Zealand. Teddy is about 47 years old, white in colour and 30cm tall.  His owner, Christchurch car mechanic Doug Macleod, is offering $500 to be reunited with his oldest friend. "This is definitely not a joke," Macleod, 47, said. "He's been in my life since I can remember and I want him back."
 
Teddy's last sighting was at Dux Live on December 13, where he spent most of the night stuffed head-first into Macleod's pocket before 'mysteriously disappearing'. "It was a reasonably quiet night for him, no drinking or anything, and he must've just slipped out because I had no idea until I woke up the next morning and was like, ‘where's Teddy?' ".  Macleod went back to Dux Live to ask if Teddy had been handed in and to "have a scope around in the bushes outside".



He even plastered a few "missing Teddy" posters around the area, but has had no luck relocating his wayward bear. Macleod's Addington home has been rather lonely without Teddy.  "Life without Teddy is a little bit different, but I suppose that's life - you lose people and you lose stuffed animals and you've got to carry on. I just wanted to try find him first." Teddy has been in Macleod's life for as long as he can remember. Growing up on a farm in Ashburton, the young duo were inseparable but, during Macleod's early adult life, Teddy spent most days alone, lounging around on the bed.
 
It wasn't until Macleod's parents moved out of their family home in the early 1990s that Teddy shifted to Christchurch to live with Macleod again. And about three years ago, the bear began joining him for the odd night out at the pub. "He liked to meet people, especially women as he had a knack of getting their attention," Macleod said. "People laugh and hold him and say how cute he is and all the girls come over and say ‘Isn't Teddy lovely'. I'd say 90 per cent of people think Teddy's cute and the other handful laugh at him and think, ‘What a dickhead' about me."