Understand
How a stolen Ian Wright football shirt went on a 25-year global prank tour
Overview
A Scottish man discovered that his cherished Ian Wright Celtic football shirt, stolen at a flat-warming party in 2001, was taken as part of an elaborate 25-year revenge prank by his childhood best friend, Kris Robertson. Inspired by the film Amelie, Kris and various strangers photographed the jersey at landmarks around the world—including Venice, Machu Picchu, Easter Island, and Rio de Janeiro—before finally returning the shirt to Kevin Hill at his wedding reception.
Key points
- Kevin Hill's favourite Ian Wright Celtic football shirt was stolen from his flat-warming party in Edinburgh in 2001.
- The theft was orchestrated by childhood friend Kris Robertson as revenge for a previous email prank.
- Kris was inspired by the French film Amelie, in which a character sends a stolen garden gnome around the world.
- Over the years, strangers and travellers photographed the jersey at global locations such as the London Eye, Venice, Niagara Falls, Easter Island, and Christ the Redeemer.
- After the original shirt was lost around 2013, Kris meticulously crafted a replacement jersey with hand-ironed lettering.
- The 25-year mystery was finally resolved when Kris returned the shirt and a photo book at Kevin's wedding reception.