I bet you never knew the world cup had been stolen, I bet you didn't know it was found by a collie mix named Pickles.
In 1966, England was set to host the World Cup and out of pride and excitement they put the cherished treasure on display in Westminster England. It was watched strictly by 24 hour surveillance in its exhibition when armed robber Sidney Cugullere, then 40, stole the trophy with the help of brother Reg.
It led to one of the biggest manhunts in Scotland Yard’s history and became a bigger story than that year’s general election.
At 12.10pm, one of the downstairs guards found the padlock on the case removed and the trophy stolen.
The next day police issued a description of a lone thief in his late 30s, around 5ft 10in with sallow skin, dark eyes and greased-down black hair. The description fitted Cugullere.
Sidney took the trophy home, but soon realised his wife Nell “would have flung him out” if she found it.
So he called Reg, who took it home in his car to Leighton Buzzard, Beds.
And that’s when police nearly found the trophy they were all searching for.
The source said: “Reggie had it under the front seat. He got pulled at a general stop by the police and they searched the car but didn’t find it.”
Rewards totalling £5,500 were soon offered for its safe return, far more than Sidney could get if he melted down the 14in gold-plated silver Cup.
Soon after the theft Reg and Sidney hid the World Cup in Reg’s father-in-law’s coal shed, Sidney began to freak out and knew there was no way they could sell the cup. They didn’t melt it down or destroy it because it’s the World Cup. They realized they had to give it back.
Seven days after the theft, on March 27, docker David Corbett was taking his cross-bred collie Pickles for a walk when he spotted the cup in the street.
It remains unclear how it got there. Corbett collected £6,000 in rewards.
Bobby Moore went on to lift the Cup after England defeated Germany 4-2 in the eighth World Cup final.
And you see ladies and gentlemen, Pickles is the true hero that saved England from further embarrassment and turmoil. He should have his own statue, just saying.