First it was bad news. The one metre tall Bethlehem gorilla was gone. Stolen. In broad daylight, about 5pm on Friday, September 9, from the top of the container at Bethlehem's Palmers Garden Centre where he usually perches, surveying the passing traffic.

'It was peak-hour traffic in Bethlehem so someone may have seen it being removed and loaded into a van, which had been parked next to the container,” says Palmers Bethlehem's Jenny Harvey.

'A green and white van, possibly a Toyota Hiace, was parked next to the container at the time with a couple of guys in and around it. A staff member managed to get a glimpse of its number plate but we didn't actually see them removing the gorilla.”

The gorilla, made of a resin material, had been sitting on top of the container daily for about a year. Hundreds of people shared SunLive's article of the gorilla theft on social media.

Then, good news.

'Thanks to some eagle-eyed Tauranga kids,” says Jenny. 'Our gorilla is back at Palmers Bethlehem where he belongs after spending a bit of time in the bush.”

The school children had found the gorilla down a bank in Oropi. He now has some concrete holding him more securely.

'He is suffering from a few bumps and bruises but nothing too bad,” says Jenny. 'Thanks to everyone for sharing our original post and helping to get our gorilla back.”

The Bethlehem Gorilla spent a little time in the bush. Photo: Supplied.