Recently reported thefts indicate that many animal thieves target exotic parrots or birds, which can be worth up to tens thousands of dollar.
A thief is captured smashing through a glass window at a Calabasas (California) veterinary hospital to steal parrots.
Three exotic birds stolen from Feed Barn, Dana Point California the week before Christmas.
Cody, an Amazon with yellow head, Baby Love, white cockatoo and Sweetie – African Grey Parrot – were stolen by thieves, who broke the front of the pet store.
“They broke in in the middle of the night and went straight for the birds,” Michelle Martin, owner of Feed Barn, tells .
In less than a minute, the two men that broke in were out. The two men who broke into the store were in and out within one minute. They appeared to know how to handle animals, as they knew the birds and stuffed them in backpacks. They stole three birds that are valued between $10,000 and $15,000.
Cops in Atlanta, Georgia have arrested a man who is suspected of having stolen parrots out of a local eatery. They were found in the backyard.
Some people wonder if there is a connection between the series of exotic bird burglaries that occurred across the nation. The fact that there are fewer exotic birds makes them more valuable. Because of the limitations on wild bird imports, it is difficult to find enough birds for breeding.
But value is just one part of the reason the birds’ owners have been devastated by the thefts.
Karen Allen stole three exotic birds from Birds and More, a bird shop near Los Angeles in California.
“You don’t take people’s children,” she says. “Whether they’re furry with four legs or feathery with two legs and wings.”
“I am fearful that I will never see these birds again,” Martin, the owner of Feed Barn, says.
Addressing the thieves directly, she says, “Just bring them back. We just want them back.”