But the return of a priceless pendant to a Wagga widow this week might just be the exception to that rule.

There are crimes of passion, crimes of opportunity and then there are crimes that make you fear for humanity.

The theft of jewellery from Dianne Masling’s Kooringal home last month fits in the latter category.

Mrs Masling lost her husband and two young daughters in a tragic helicopter accident in 1992.

In the ensuing years, she has held a special pendant made of her late daughters’ signet rings close to her heart.

On May 15, thieves broke into her home and stole a number of items, including the pendant.

They might as well have ripped out Mrs Masling’s heart while they were at it.

She collapsed into a well of grief and despair, issuing a public plea in the hope the emotionally valuable but monetarily worthless pendant would find its way back to her.

On Wednesday, as she was rummaging in her letterbox, she felt a familiar object.

It couldn’t be, she thought. It was. The pendant had been returned.

Whether it was the thief himself or someone connected with him, the gesture restored a priceless memento – and Mrs Masling’s faith in humanity.

Good and evil exists in every community. But we should never forget that for every morally corrupt thief in Wagga, there are 1000 good people ready to denounce them.