Animal heist

WESTERN BUREAU:

In a brazen and seemingly unprecedented heist, thieves have targeted a popular local attraction, making off with a collection of exotic animals, including four Jamaican boa constrictors, three baby crocodiles, and a macaw.

The robbery also saw the theft of other rare birds and even a monkey, leaving authorities and the attraction’s staff scrambling to recover the stolen wildlife.

“This was no ordinary thief. This is someone who collects animals. The first thing we need to do is find out who took them. This isn’t the kind of market where a person stealing a laptop would venture. We have to narrow it down. How many people in Jamaica are going to steal a snake?” asked one of the attraction’s owners.

The operator is currently working with the police to crack the case, noting that the perpetrators appear to have been extraordinarily familiar with the location, so much so that not even the surveillance cameras captured their movements.

“They must be experts in the field. To be brazen enough to pick up a macaw – if you try to hold a macaw, it is likely to bite your fingers off. So it has to be someone skilled in handling these animals, and they must have an outlet or a buyer,” said the operator, who requested anonymity due to possible repercussions.

According to him, the thieves broke the locks and appeared comfortable around the animals.

“I strongly believe they didn’t take them to their house. There is a market for this. It was an order,” he added.

This isn’t the first robbery the attraction has faced, but nothing of this magnitude. Previously, they lost parrots to thieves.

Despite the theft, the attraction remains open, and operators continued to welcome guests as of Sunday.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com