WORLD War I relics, along with coins and jewellery have been located during a search of a car that was stopped by police earlier this month and with the help of social media, can be returned to its owner.
Senior constable Ben Smith of Goulburn Highway Patrol said police responded to a complaint regarding the driving of a car on the Hume Highway near Marulan on March 2.
"The vehicle was stopped and the occupants of the car were spoken to and there was a cause found to search the vehicle," senior constable Smith said.
"During the search, an amount of jewellery and war relics were located and seized by police."
He said inquiries by police to locate the owners failed and on Wednesday a Facebook post with images of the items was uploaded to the Hume Police District page.
"Goulburn Police are seeking to find the rightful owners of the following war relics, jewellery and coins," the post said.
"It is thought the following items may have come from the ACT or Queanbeyan region but police are needing community assistance."
Less than 24 hours of being posted, Canberran Paul Hannelly contacted police.
The ration book, coins and badges belonged to Lance Corporal Patrick Hannelly, 45th Battalion, WW1, who died in 1939.
The relics were handed down from Mr Hannelly's grandfather, to his father and now him and taken during a break in on February 25.
"They're important to our family because they're something that just can't be replaced," Mr Hannelly said.
"Someone tagged me in the post and said it could be ours and once I'd seen it and recognised the ration book I knew it was."
He said he was hoping the items would be found, but didn't think he would ever see them again.
"It made me feel a lot happier."
Mr Hannelly is working with police to be reunited with his belongings.
Senior Constable Smith said inquiries to locate the owners of the other jewellery that was in the car was ongoing and said investigations regarding the occupants of the car were continuing.
