VENICE, Fla. — A 46-year-old man has been arrested after deputies say he stole a parrot from a pet store in Venice.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office says on Oct. 14 Richard Rivers grabbed a bag of birdseed, reached into a cage and removed a turquoise green-cheeked conure named “Lapis” from the Pet Supermarket on S. Tamiami Trail. According to investigators, an employee tried to stop him, but Rivers put the bird in his pocket and drove away.
Deputies say surveillance video helped them identify Rivers, who they met at his home Thursday morning. Authorities say they found the stolen bird unharmed.
Rivers was charged with a single count of petit theft. He was taken to the Sarasota County Correctional Facility and held on $500 bond.
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