As is par for the course in these cases though, the alleged bandit, named as 27-year-old Nathan Brown, is keeping shtum.

Cops were initially hoping to recover the hole €20,000 worth of balls in one but have discovered just 2,000. The whereabouts of 40,000 remain in the rough .

The case could swing either way, but a little birdie tells us this one is set to roll on and on.

You won't believe how many golf balls this guy stole: http://t.co/06e0lTSLR0 pic.twitter.com/yso1chCDOC — Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) December 10, 2014

H/T: Bleacher Report