HAMPTON — It was five years ago that the Troiano family’s large rubber duck went missing from their Gale Road home. What followed were mysterious postcards, Facebook posts and pictures of the duck from all over the world, giving the appearance of being penned by the bath toy under a new name — Gale Ducky.

After visiting about 20 different countries, including Switzerland last February, Gale finally returned home. The duck was discovered on the pavement in front of the Troianos’ garage with a suitcase full of keepsakes from around the world – a Goofy hat from Disney World, a key card from hotels like in Salzburg, Austria, maps from places like Thailand and Cape Town, South Africa, and numerous other international pieces of memorabilia.

Jennifer Troiano, who discovered the duck had returned, was shocked. She and her daughter, Alicia, to whom the duck belonged, had followed Gale on the ducky’s Facebook page ever since the travels began.

“I just was like, ‘What is she doing home?’” Jennifer Troiano said. “Where has she been? Who had her?”

Gale, slightly larger than a football, came to the Troianos about 10 years ago when Alicia Troiano was given the duck from a neighbor for whom she babysat. Alicia Troiano enjoyed putting Gale — then known as “Baldie” — into the makeshift pond that filled up on rainy days in front of the house as a sort of lawn decoration.

One day Baldie went missing, but the Troianos thought little of it. Then, months later, a postcard came supposedly written by the ducky, postmarked from Kuwait City, telling the family of her travels to Honduras, Amsterdam and the Middle East. The duck had also been given a new name, the postcard signed “Gale Ducky.” The note encouraged the Troiano family to follow her travels on the Facebook page “Gale Ducky.”

Pictures on the Facebook page showed the duck hanging out with locals and sitting in front of picturesque views from around the world. Trips also included those to the Caribbean, Mexico, South Korea, Hawaii, Zimbabwe, Iceland and Panama. In Europe, Gale fished with an Englishman and posed for a picture with the Matterhorn in the background.

Gale also visited many locations in the United States, such as Orlando, San Diego, Las Vegas and Niagara Falls.

As time went by, Gale’s travels captivated not only the Troianos but fans around the country. The page has over 600 followers. Local news outlets sought to do stories on Gale. One Boston TV station did a story the winter after the duck went missing.

The Troianos had planned to keep following Gale in perpetuity when she finally made her return this month.

Jennifer Troiano had woken up at 5:30 a.m. that Wednesday morning to check her email and prepare for an early morning bike ride when she saw an update in her Facebook feed from Gale Ducky.

As she looked closely at the update, she realized something was strangely familiar about where the picture was taken of Gale sitting on a curbside with a suitcase. The photo’s caption read, “waiting for my ride.”

“I looked at the picture and I said, ‘That’s my sidewalk,’” Jennifer Troiano said. She walked outside to find her “wayward duck” sitting with his suitcase in front of her garage.

Most of the items inside the suitcase are maps from various places, but there are some more unique pieces as well. Jennifer Troiano said the green friendship bracelet Gale brought her is special in a way, as her daughter makes friendship bracelets. She also particularly likes Gale’s giant sunglasses.

The Troianos are seasoned travelers themselves, having vacationed internationally and intending to go to China at some point soon. Troiano said they would never be able to keep up with Gale, though. She said she was a little jealous to see Gale basking in the sun at the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

Alicia Troiano said she is disappointed that Gale’s adventures are now over. She might consider taking Gale with her on her own travels, but she said it would not be same.

“I will miss seeing the funny pictures that pop up on Facebook and waiting to find out his next destination,” Alicia Troiano said.

If the adventure had to end, she said her showing up with her suitcase full of memorabilia was “such a fun way to return home.”

The Troianos said they have never learned who “ab-duck-ted” Gale and taken her on her journeys. While some might be unnerved by a stranger taking their property and sending them pictures from all over the world with it, the Troianos have never had a problem with Gale’s travel buddy.

“We’re happy the duck got to go and explore and travel,” Jennifer Troiano said, then joking, “That’s the first thing I would think of when I saw it. I would steal it and have fun with it.”

Jennifer Troiano’s best guess, she said, is that the culprit is a pilot. She scoured the Facebook page for clues, finding only one potential indicator — a picture of the duck in a cockpit with a pilot and co-pilot. Still, she wonders if pilots would fly routes to such a variety of locations.

Alicia Troiano wishes she knew the answer.

“I have so many questions,” Alicia Troiano said. “I want to know why they were inspired to pick him up out of his pond and bring around the world, especially since he is not a very small or portable duck.”

At this point, Jennifer Troiano said she hopes the abductor’s identity remains a mystery.

“It just keeps it fun,” Troiano said.