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U.S. Olympian Jordyn Poulter said that her gold medal was stolen from her car in Anaheim, California.
"My gold medal was taken out of my car," Poulter told reporters. "My car was parked in my garage where I'm staying, a two-car garage. The garage was open, and my bag with my passport and medal were taken from my car."
Poulter, who helped lead Team USA to their first gold medal in indoor volleyball at the Tokyo Olympics, admitted that she forgot to close the garage door when she got back home.
"I think my initial reaction was, 'Why didn't I close the garage door?' It's such an unfortunate bummer because my initial thought is never thinking the worst of what would happen. But things like this do happen, and it's unfortunate. It'll make you learn really quickly."
The Anaheim police are investigating and said the thief will have a hard time selling the gold medal.
"We are hoping if someone does try to do something like that a local pawn shop or it if comes up on eBay, that they would contact us immediately," Anaheim Sgt. Jacob Gallacher told KNBC.
Poulter said that she hopes the thief does the right thing and turns in the medal because it has sentimental value to her.
"One, it's not pure gold. So, if you try to melt it down, it's not going to get you very far," she said. "The inside is made of recycled computer parts and then plated, and it's not worth much in that sense, and I don't think it has as much sentimental value as it does to me."