FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Olympic medals of swimming legend and "Tarzan" movie star Johnny Weissmuller are finally back in the Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale thanks to a collector's tip. The medals had been stolen last year.

The Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale houses thousands of pieces of swimming memorabilia, including the world's largest collection of Olympic medals.

Dec. 16, 2004: Items Stolen From Hall Of Fame

In December, the vast display suspiciously started to shrink, with more than 100 items stolen without a trace.

"The Weissmuller medals (were) among hundreds of items that disappeared over several weeks, last year. Now, they're back," said Fort Lauderdale Detective Gerry Machurick. "There was a gentleman in North Carolina who found one of the medals on eBay."

The collector who saw the medals on eBay was savvy enough to know the medals had been housed at the Swimming Hall of Fame, so he called the Hall to report it.

"They were lucky someone gave a tip who was smart enough to understand where the collection came from," Hall of Fame Board Chairman Mark Spitz said.

Eventually, the tip led to Joseph Mancino.

"He was a temporary employee here and gained access to where the medals were stored at the time," Machurick said.

The medals, which are among the most treasured items in the Hall of Fame collection, have been returned home.

Weissmuller was the swimming ace of his time, dominating the Olympics of 1924 and 1928. He won eight medals, including five gold medals.

Weissmuller, who was among the very first group of Swimming Hall of Fame inductees, became even more famous as Tarzan in the movies.

"When the Hall opened, he came and presented his medals, so this is where he wanted his medals to be," Swimming Hall of Fame Chief Executive Officer Bruce Wigo said.

Few Olympic medal-winners are willing to give their medals to the Hall of Fame. Even Spitz, now chairman of the Hall's board of directors, one of the most dominating Olympic swimmers ever and the winner of seven gold medals, does not have any of his medals at the Hall of Fame.

"They're in a bank vault so I don't have this problem of having them stolen," Spitz said.

Swimming Hall of Fame officials said they have increased security, so the Weissmuller medals and the rest of the swimming treasures should be safe.

"(There are) cameras all around the building, so, any funny business, we'll know who did it," Wigo said.

Mancino is still awaiting trial on charges of grand theft, though the detective on the case predicts he will take a plea bargain soon.