Replica Melbourne Cup stolen from cafe

Thieves have stolen a replica Melbourne Cup from a Victorian cafe.

A replica 2017 Melbourne Cup has been stolen from a Victorian cafe.

Thieves forced their way into a cafe at Diggers Rest, north west of Melbourne, between Saturday night and Sunday morning, taking off with the Cup as well as the cash register, police said.

The treasured Cup is one of eight or nine replicas made for various part-owners of the 2017 race winner, Rekindling.

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“Whilst it might not have as much financial value as the original cup, it certainly has a lot of sentimental value,” the stolen Cup’s part-owner, Mark Ruff, told 3AW on Tuesday.

Ruff kept the replica at his mate’s cafe, Houdini’s, before it was ransacked.

“It’s just a good thing for a lot of local people … people get their photo taken with it. We’d just rather it be there than sitting in our lounge room,” he said.

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.