Fake wombat stolen in broad daylight

More than 100 guests and staff are potential suspects in a case involving a fake wombat stolen from the reception desk at Nomads hostel in Cairns, Australia.



The wombat was subject to a naming competition after staff realised their new mascot didn't have a name. But on Monday it disappeared from the top of the naming suggestion box it had been sitting on at the hostel.

Nomads manager Bryony Sumner said the furry toy was stolen "in the cold light of the middle of the day" and there was currently more than 100 suspects who were staying at the hostel. "It could have been one of them, it could have been an inside job. Maybe one of the staff took it. I'm not sure he can be replaced," she said.



While Ms Sumner said the hostel would not be doing a room search she did call for the soft toy's return. "It's a nameless victim of a nameless crime," she said. Ms Sumner said the suggestion box had been full of ideas for a name, but now there was no wombat to give a title too. The hostel is posting a reward of a pint of beer for the wombat's return.