Police have recovered about 79 garden gnomes that were stolen. The gnomes were found along the banks of a stream in the central Limousin region with a sign that said "gnome mistreated, gnome liberated."

Last month, 86 gnomes were found in the yard of a high school. Others were discovered on the outskirts of the city.

A note put in some gnome owners mailboxes claimed the gnomes wanted to get some air because of the heat wave.

The gnome taking is the work of the Front for the Liberation of Garden Gnomes (FLNJ) which has about 100 members in France, Canada, Germany, Spain, and the U.S.