In typical fairy-tale fashion, the saga of a Shaler family's abducted dwarf statue got worse before it got better.

The day after the Post-Gazette published a story April 7 about the disappearance of the Sneezy statue from Maureen McCamey's front yard, Sneezy was found lying face-up next to the family mailbox.

The family had received phone calls from readers as far away as Middlesex about the dwarf that had been taken from the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs display in their yard off Vilsack Road.

That evening, however, the Sleepy statue was snatched from their yard. And 10 days later, Doc disappeared.

"[This case] has given me such a headache over the last two weeks," said Shaler police Detective Mike Heinl, who took the call from McCamey's husband, Don, on Monday, the day after the third dwarf disappeared.

McCamey's teenage sons, Jason and Sean, suspected that the culprits might be some fellow students at Shaler Area High School. An anonymous call to 911 provided police with the names of some teens who may have been involved in the statues' disappearance.

"I went to their school ... and the principal assisted us in bringing the students down," Heinl said. "[Five of them] confessed that they had the dwarf."

One of the dwarfnappers was a friend of Jason's, and the friend has written a note of apology.

The McCameys decided that rather than charge the teens with crimes such as theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, conspiracy or harassment, they wanted the youngsters to do community service as a punishment.

Heinl said the report in the Post-Gazette was the reason Sneezy was returned, but it also was the reason the other two dwarfs were taken. "The kids saw it in the paper, and that made it more of challenge for them."

Maureen McCamey said she is grateful to the Shaler police; Shaler Area High School Principal William Suit; and neighbor Bill Hoffman, who witnessed Sunday night's abduction and provided police with a description of the getaway vehicle.

She said the statues are currently under lock and key in the family garage but after they get a coat of paint, they'll be back outside.

"We hope that [everyone] continues to enjoy our lawn ornaments of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," she said.

And she hopes they'll remain in her yard ... happily ever after.