Thieves return alleged swindler's statue

PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Palm Beach, Fla., thieves have returned a $10,000 statue to accused multibillion-dollar swindler Bernard Madoff with an admonition to go straight, police said.

The 4-foot-tall, 10-pound statue, left near the Palm Beach Country Club of which Madoff is a member, was accompanied by a note: "Bernie the Swindler, Lesson: Return Stolen Property to rightful owners. Signed by -- The Educators."

The copper statue was reported stolen from Madoff's $9.2 million estate three days before Christmas when the Wall Street investment manager was accused of running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme, the Palm Beach Post reported.