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Stolen 2020 Olympic gold medal found behind California barbershop

The medal was taken from the car of U.S. women’s volleyball starting setter Jordyn Poulter in Anaheim. It was found discarded in a plastic bag.
USA's Jordyn Poulter and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley pose with their gold medals during the women's volleyball victory ceremony during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Aug. 8, 2021.
Jordyn Poulter and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley of the U.S. pose with their gold medals during the women's volleyball victory ceremony at the Olympic Games in Tokyo on Aug. 8.Yuri Cortez / AFP via Getty Images file

The owners of a Southern California barbershop found an Olympic gold medal that was stolen more than a month ago, Anaheim police said Wednesday.

The 2020 Tokyo Games medal, stolen from the car of U.S. women’s volleyball starting setter Jordyn Poulter on May 25, was found in a discarded plastic bag Monday, police said.

The owners of Noel Barbershop, which is also in Anaheim, were cleaning up behind their property when they found the plastic bag with the medal inside, police Sgt. Shane Carringer said.

The owners of Noel Barbershop, Maria Carrillo and Noe Hernandez, found a discarded plastic bag on their property Monday. Upon examining the bag, they discovered it contained the missing gold medal.
The owners of Noel Barbershop, Maria Carrillo and Noe Hernandez, found a discarded plastic bag on their property Monday. Upon examining the bag, they discovered it contained the missing gold medal. Anaheim Police Department

“It’s possible that it was discarded and had been there for some period of time,” he said.

The barbershop owners turned the medal in to police. Police said they will reunite Poulter with the medal.

The medal was stolen from Poulter’s unlocked car on May 25 after she parked it in a garage with the door open and ran inside for a videoconference call, Poulter has said.

Poulter, of Colorado, won the medal when the U.S. women’s volleyball team won its first Olympic gold by sweeping Brazil at the 2020 Tokyo Games, which were held last year because they were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Poulter could not immediately be reached for comment.

Police arrested Jordan Fernandez, 31, of Anaheim, in early June. He has been charged with first-degree residential burglary, second-degree vehicle burglary, identity theft and possession of narcotics.

He has pleaded not guilty, according to court records.

When Fernandez was arrested, Poulter said she was hopeful the gold medal would be found and returned.