Two in a pinch over theft of the Grinch

The statue of the Grinch is no longer at large, and the pair police say stole it are on a theft charge.

The Grinch - the grouchy, anti-social creature that featured in Dr Seuss's rhyming verse story How the Grinch Stole Christmas - was stolen from the Dr Seuss Gallery in Melbourne's CBD last Thursday.

But just as the Grinch eventually repented and returned Christmas, the little bronze statue, valued at $10,000, was returned on Tuesday night.

Two Preston women, aged 43 and 65, are accused of stealing the Grinch and have been bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court on September 28.

As Dr Suess might have said: The happy news is the gallery's not in the lurch. The bronze statuette was handed in at a church.