HONOLULU -- Last week, the Honolulu Academy of Arts recovered about $500,000 worth of jewels that were stolen from the Indian Gallery on Mother's Day.

The museum hired a private investigator, who recovered the rare Indian jewelry, KITV learned.

The heist was the first in the art museum's history.

Honolulu Academy of Arts Director Stephen Little told KITV that the suspect walked into the academy when it was open to the public for free on Mother's Day. The suspect went to the Indian Gallery, where he used brute strength to break open a display case holding rare Indian jewels and artifacts, Little said.

Police said the suspect is Grant Freeman, 21. They said he is a homeless man who had been living in Waikiki for about a year. Freeman is from Hillsborough, N.C., where he has an extensive police record and has served time in jail on a burglary conviction.

Freeman is believed to have sent the stolen jewels to his mother in North Carolina as a Mother's Day present, sources said.

KITV reached Freeman by phone at his mother's home.

"I can't discuss this over the phone. I mean, I could go to another phone, but I can't speak about this issue on my mother's telephone," Freeman said.

Private investigator Steve Goodenow recovered the stolen jewels, according to the museum. Goodenow disguised himself as a homeless man and hung out in areas frequented by street people, sources said. That was how he was able to find Freeman, according to museum sources.

Goodenow declined to talk to KITV about the case.

When Freeman's mother was located in North Carolina, the museum's lawyers were able to persuade her to send all the jewels back in return for charges not being pressed, museum sources said.

Freeman's mother sent the jewels back to the academy on Thursday by Fed Ex, officials said.

The museum's director told KITV that he decided not to press charges because he was worried unless there was an incentive for suspect's family to return the jewels, the academy might never see them again.

Honolulu police plan to continue to investigate the case. They hope to arrest Freeman for allegedly returning to the museum two weeks after the first burglary and unsuccessfully attempting to steal more Indian jewels, Detective Randy Akau said.