06/08/2009 - Gang steals rare cockatoo from shop
A Galah cockatoo worth £1,650 has been stolen from its cage in a pet shop by a gang of brazen thieves.
The trio, a man, a young boy and an older woman, were captured on CCTV after the man ripped the padlock off the bird's cage and stuffed it into a bag before calmly walking out of the Porton Pet and Aquatic Centre near Salisbury.
They drove off in an old Renault Megance which was either blue or silver.
The pet store's owner said the bird may have been stolen to order, as bird thefts are a big market, and appealed for anyone who hears about the fate of the animal to come forward.
Gareth Allen added: "It's a wonderful bird who was hand reared so it is like a teddy bear and completely defenceless.
"If someone ran out of the shop with an £8,000 pond pump I wouldn't be as bothered as it's just an object, but it is the welfare of the bird that is our concern."
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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