CODA star Troy Kotsur has Oscar trophy returned after it was stolen with his car

‘A little kid stole my Jeep while I have [my] Oscar award in my Jeep,’ Kotsur wrote

Days after being honoured with the keys to his hometown of Mesa, Arizona, CODA star Troy Kotsur’s car was stolen in the southwestern US city.

To make matters worse, Kotsur had left his Oscar statue, which he picked up for Best Supporting Actor this year, in the car.

Fortunately, the vehicle, and the priceless artefact within, were quickly retrieved.

“A little kid stole my Jeep while I have [my] Oscar award in my Jeep,” Kotsur wrote in a since-deleted tweet. “The city of Mesa, Az found my Jeep and Oscar award too! Thanks!”

In a statement sent to TODAY on Sunday, 14 August, the Mesa Police Department shared: “We can confirm that Mr Kotsur’s vehicle was stolen and recovered last night here in Mesa.

“Once Mr Kotsur notified the department of the theft, officers began their investigation and through investigative techniques, they located the vehicle with two juvenile male suspects inside.”

Troy Kotsur with his Oscar award (AP)

The authorities, who did not name the thieves due to their age, said the juveniles admitted to stealing the car and were charged with theft of means of transportation.

Kotsur made history at the 94th Academy Awards in April by becoming the first-ever deaf male to win an acting Oscar.

“This is dedicated to the deaf community, the CODA community and the disabled community,” Kotsur said in American Sign Language at the time. “This is our moment.”

CODA, which is an acronym standing for “Child of Deaf Parents”, is a remake of the French film La Famille Belier.

The film follows a girl named Ruby (Emilia Jones), who finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents, played by Kotsur and Marlee Matlin.