Max Dempster, 87, said he was feeling "lousy" after his medal, and his relatives' medals, were stolen during the break-in at his Berrigan home.

Wodonga detectives managed to recover the stolen items from a second hand dealer in Geelong earlier this year, and returned them to Mr Dempster on Tuesday after tracking him down as the owner.

"Jeez, hell's bells, I didn't realise I had all them," the 87-year-old said when they were handed back by detective Brianna Gibson.

She asked the former national serviceman if he was happy they were back in safe hands.

"Yep, that's for sure," he said.

"It's just marvellous how they can find things, isn't it?

"It's incredible."

Some belonged to Mr Dempster's late uncles, including Cyril Dempster who died in Borneo during WWII.

Mr Dempster received his medal for his time in the national service, which had been compulsory when he was younger.

They were allegedly stolen during a spree by a North East couple, who were arrested at Brimin in January and still have matters pending in Victorian court.

"I was pretty disappointed when it all happened," Mr Dempster, now a nursing home resident, said.

"They were there in the drawer.

"All the sudden they disappeared.

"Jeez, they've gone all the way to Geelong."

Mr Dempster didn't serve overseas but often shared stories with his son, Arthur, about his time in the national service.

His son didn't even realise his father had owned the medals until Detective Senior Constable Gibson contacted him to say they had been located.

"It was all a bit of a shock when Brianna rang up, trying to track 'Max' down," Arthur said on Tuesday.

"I thought 'that sounds a lot like dad'.

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"I don't remember him ever showing us medals, I didn't realise he had them, so it was all quite a shock."

Mr Dempster said he believed his father had received his national service medal in 2013.

"We're delighted he's got them back," he said.

"He'll keep them in his new home.

"It will be a good talking point for the visitors."

Detective Senior Constable Gibson said it was a rewarding part of her job.

"It was an honour to return these sentimental family heirlooms to the rightful owners," she said.

"They can be passed down to future generations.

"It was a good day at the office."

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