As reported by USA Today and pretty much every other major outlet, a screen used pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland herself in the classic The Wizard of Oz have finally been recovered. The slippers spent thirteen years missing after they were stolen from a 2005 exhibit in Garland's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
There were many leads over the years as to where these iconic film treasures could be, but now, at long last, a successful sting operation was able to bring them back into the right hands. They're one of four pairs that are out there, and the pair that rests in the Smithsonian was used to authenticate the newly recovered ones.
The city's chief of police had some powerful words about the slippers: "They're more than just a pair of shoes, the slippers," Johnson said. "They're an enduring symbol of the power of belief."
This is truly an incredible story for any film fan. Below is the Facebook post that helped spark the recovery: