An Oregon television station reported today that a Hawaii couple who pleaded guilty to stealing $2 million in precious metals and rare coins and jewelry from a Bend, Ore., home last year are helping police recover the loot.

Bend police officers told KTVZ that Dakotah Yarborough, 44, and his wife Connie, 38, are living up to their plea deal to help in the recovery of the buried items.

Yarborough, of Hilo, stole the items from his former stepmother, with whom he and his wife were living.

"Better than half" of the goods stolen have now been recovered, said Lt. Ben Gregory.

About 1,200 pounds of silver were recovered last fall, when Dakotah Yarborough was arrested in the Bend area, while his wife was captured in Redwood City, Calif.

On Tuesday, police recovered more than 400 1-ounce American Eagle gold

bullion coins, worth about $962 per coin at current market value, and about $600,000 in jewelry, including a solid-gold bracelet, Gregory said.

Gregory told KTVZ the property will be returned to the owner as soon as possible, as police don't need to hold it as evidence, due to the plea deals.

Last week, Dakotah Yarborough pleaded guilty to 22 counts against him, under a deal that sets his sentence at five years, but only if all the stolen items are returned. His sentencing is set for April 29.

Connie Yarborough, who had agreed to testify against her husband, was sentenced last February to a 45-day jail term and five years probation, and ordered to return or pay for stolen items that were sold or hidden. She helped police recover hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of the items.