Seven arrested for stealing Lara's medal, cash and jewellery

Sydney, Feb 11 (ANI): Seven people have been arrested by the Trinidad police for stealing Brian Lara's prized honorary Order of Australia medal and one million dollars in jewels, cash, clothing and cricketing memorabilia from the West Indies legend's home.

Lara's home in Trinidad was burgled last week while he was sleeping.

Authorities raided a house in the West Indies great's Caribbean island homeland of Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, and arrested seven men while discovering stolen items belonging to Lara, including a laptop, an autographed cricket bat and batting pads.

The thieves had stolen a safe containing cash, jewellery, VIP tickets to a Beyonce concert and the honorary Order of Australia medal, which Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd presented to Lara during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad and Tobago last November.

Trinidad police are yet to find the medal, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Police also believe Lara's former housekeeper, Annmarie Marcano, 54, stole from the cricket great between January 2005 and February 3 this year.

Marcano, who appeared before a magistrate in Port of Spain on Monday, is accused of stealing a bottle of Angostura Master Blend rum, nine Oakley sunglasses valued at 300 dollars each and five tie pins with "400" engraved on them.

Lara, 40, who retired from cricket in 2007, achieved many records and milestones during his prolific career, but he was genuinely taken back by Australia's decision to present him with the Order of Australia medal for his work in mentoring young cricketers at the Australian Institute of Sport and Queensland's Centre of Excellence at Griffith University.

"I will be wearing this with distinction," Lara told Rudd and other dignitaries during the ceremony on November 29, 2009, at the home of Australia's High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Philip Kentwell.

Trinidad authorities are questioning the seven men arrested on Tuesday. (ANI)