HERVEY BAY theft victim Laraine O'Leary was bought to tears earlier this week, after a good Samaritan offered to replace her family's stolen war medals with replicas free of charge.

The medals, which were stolen more than two weeks ago during at break-in at Mrs O'Leary's Torquay home, were a priceless family heirloom that could not be replaced.

"They were my grandfather's WW1 medals and my father's WW2 medals," Mrs O'Leary said.

"Honestly they are of no value to anyone else, and because their original owners are deceased I can't get replacements."

Several other items were taken from the Hervey Bay home during the break-in on February 13, though Mrs O'Leary said it was the loss of the medals that hurt her the most.

Mrs O'Leary said she burst into tears on the phone when she heard that her medals would be replaced.

"I was so emotional on the phone, I think I scared him a little," she said. "I didn't even get to catch his name."

The stranger, who turned out to be Hervey Bay medal mounter Peter Crane, said he didn't think twice about helping Mrs O'Leary after reading of her loss in The Chronicle.

"I was in the military, so I understand the sentimental value that medals have," Mr Crane said.

"I knew what she was going through and with Anzac Day coming up I really wanted to help."

Mr Crane said he called Mrs O'Leary straight away after finding her phone number in a war medals newsletter.

"I just really wanted to help out," he said.

"Working with war medals is something that I enjoy, and I already had the replicas.

"It seemed like the right thing to do."

Mr Crane gave the replica medals to the family yesterday afternoon.

"It's impossible to replace something so priceless as war medals," he said.

"But at least now she will have something to remind her of them."