Cash reward offered for return of Paralympic swimmer Huot's stolen medals

Canada's Benoit Huot celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 200m Individual Medley SM10 category at the 2012 Paralympics, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, in London. (AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

LONGUEUIL, Que. -- A $2,000 cash reward is being offered for information leading to the return of Paralympic swimmer Benoit Huot's stolen medals.

The medals were stolen from Huot's home near Montreal on the evening of July 26 or early July 27.

Police are investigating the crime.

It was Huot's father who discovered the break-in and saw that several items had gone missing, including a TV and home furnishings.

Thieves took seven medals, including two won at the Commonwealth Games, two at the Paralympic Games and three at the Parapan American Games.

Huot was training in British Columbia at the time of the burglary, but has taken to Twitter in his bid to retrieve the medals which have tremendous sentimental and emotional value to him.

The reward is being offered by Canadian Tire and Echec au Crime, a Quebec chapter of Crime Stoppers, for any information leading to identify the suspects or help find the medals.

Canadian Tire is one of Huot's sponsors and says it is saddened by the theft.

The 30-year-old Huot won 19 Paralympic Games medals between 2000 and 2012, including nine gold.