Police Look To Identify Pigeon Thieves Caught On Camera
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Police are looking to identify three men caught on camera stealing hundreds of pigeons from a farm but there is a twist in the investigation.
The victim, Duniesky Hernandez, said he's been cooperating with detectives and he is relieved of the unlikely twist, that the pigeons have been returned.
The robbery happened on March 3rd, around 1 a.m., at 4595 SW 127th Avenue.
According to the Miami-Dade Police Department, three people entered the property by jumping over a chain link fence. Once inside, they pried open two separate doors and removed 150 pigeons, killing three during the robbery.
"It is unusual. You can see them clearly on this surveillance tape...We want to identify these individuals," said Det. Robin Pinkard with Miami-Dade Police.
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Pinkard told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "Anytime you enter someone's property like this, it is not right."
The surveillance tape shows one of the robbers carrying a crate with some of the pigeons. Another thief is seen using a flashlight while searching for more pigeons.
Police said the pigeons were returned several days later. It's not known why the robbers did that.
This is not the first time we've seen this crime in South Florida.
Last December 30th, arrests were made after three people tried to steal 12 pigeons from Leonor Mendez's backyard in Hialeah, where police said they receive calls twice a month about pigeons being stolen. Mendez's birds were worth between $2,000 and $3,000.
Pigeon breeding has become popular in the Hialeah and Kendall areas. It's not known why Hernandez's pigeons were stolen.
Investigators are hoping somebody will recognize and help locate those captured in the footage.
Anyone with information is asked call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).