Gnome owners offer to pay ransom

THE case of the stolen Strathdale gnome continues to cause a stir as owners Lyndon and Jeanette Langan recover from the media frenzy yesterday.The Langan's beloved gnome, known as Gerrald, went missing last Thursday and a ransom note demanding $10,000 for his return was delivered on Monday.``The phone has been running hot,'' said Mr Langan after the Bendigo Advertiser first reported the ransom demand for the gnome.``We took calls from Melbourne and Sydney radio stations as well as all the television networks,'' he said.The couple are hopeful that an offering of $10,000 of pretend money will see their bearded friends return.The offering, known as Joss Money, was donated by the Golden Dragon Museum and is used as an afterlife monetary paper offering by the Chinese.In accordance with the printed ransom letter the money will be taped to the underside of the Langan's bin lid tonight.Mrs Langan, an experienced golfer, won the hand-painted gnome at an Eaglehawk open golf day and she is hoping it will be returned unharmed.Mr and Mrs Langan said they had no intention of trying to catch the gnome's kidnappers.Since news of the gnome's kidnapping the Langan's have received a replacement garden gnome from a friend. But according to Mr and Mrs Langan nothing could replace Gerrald.