Shane Cortese's son gets his iPad back

Police have returned Shane Cortese's young son's iPad to him after it was stolen on an Auckland train last weekend.

Two men and a woman snatched the iPad from 10-year-old Kees on Saturday morning.

A 29-year-old Crips gang member was arrested and charged with the theft, police said.

Cortese said his family was pleased to have it returned.

Cortese and his autistic son were on a train travelling through South Auckland when the trio began hurling abuse at them and snatched the iPad from Kees.

The trio got off the train at Papatoetoe, and were monitored via CCTV.

Kees was "agitated, panicking, and crying", Cortese wrote on Facebook after the incident.

The two took regular train trips to make Vlogs (video blogs) on the iPad, Cortese said.

Police posted on Facebook this afternoon that they had reunited a young boy with his iPad, saying "sometimes the best part of the job is putting a smile back on the faces of victims".

Kees was also given a tour of the Otahuhu Police Station this morning when his iPad was returned, according to the post.

"He was delighted to get it back and I was delighted for him."

Cortese thanked people for their concern in a Facebook post on Sunday.