Oscars' reward stolen

Recovered: The Oscars found by Willie Fulgear

The man who found 52 stolen Oscar statuettes days before this year's film awards ceremony says he has had most of his $50,000 reward stolen.

Scrap metal dealer Willie Fulgear says burglars broke into his Los Angeles flat and took a safe containing some $40,000 in reward money as well as jewellery.

He told KCAL-TV: "I didn't get a chance to even enjoy my money.

"They took the safe. They took some of my movies, my VCR and they just messed everything up."

Mr Fulgear, 61, found the boxed statuettes near a rubbish bin behind a discount grocery store in Los Angeles on 19 March.

They were stolen from a loading bay in the Los Angeles suburb of Bell on 8 March, 18 days before the Oscars ceremony.

Lawrence Ledent: Denies theft

Mr Fulgear was awarded the money by Roadway Express Co, one of whose employees has been charged with stealing them.

Lawrence Ledent, 38 - a former employee of Roadway who was fired after his arrest on 20 March - says he unknowingly drove off with the Oscars, valued together at $17,000.

Los Angeles police confirmed that Mr Fulgear had filed a report of the theft.

Three of the stolen Oscars remain missing.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expressed its gratitude by inviting Mr Fulgear and his son, Allen, to the Oscar show, where host Billy Crystal singled him out for praise.