Police find at least 14 stolen birds in Doral, arrest a man on charges of burglary and grand theft; owners reunited with pets
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FL. (FloridaToday.news) — It was an emotional reunion for several South Florida bird owners after police made a big arrest in Doral and found their beloved pets.
Miami-Dade Police on Friday confirmed they had located at least 14 birds stolen from the southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood.
One of the birds belongs to a family of four. Family member Natasha Cortes burst into tears when she saw her white bird in a cage.
Eduardo Muñoz, one of the owners of the white bird, was at a loss for words.
“I can’t express how I feel. It’s a relief,” he said.
Cortes said that their other bird, which is over 20 years old, has still not been found.
“Despite the fact that we do not have another, our 22-year-old, we still hope that he will return,” she said.
Among those found were two of Alexander Montano’s birds.
Montano said he couldn’t believe it.
“They are part of the family. We respect them, treat them like family,” he said. “I’ve seen these birds hatch from an egg.”
Police said they removed the birds from a business in Doral on Friday evening and arrested a man in his 40s.
The suspect is charged with burglary and grand larceny, investigators said.
7News recently reported on several thefts that police say the man may be involved in.
One incident, captured on CCTV footage, showed a man after stuffing parrots into a bag at a nursery and running.
So far, according to the police, some of the birds have gone missing and they are still looking for the owners of some of the birds found.
Meanwhile, the owners who spoke to 7News are simply grateful to be reunited with their feathered family members once again.
“I can’t believe what I’m experiencing right now,” Cortez said. “I don’t know if I can sleep tonight or not.”
If you have any information about these thefts, please call the Miami-Dade Crime Squad at 305-471-TIPS. Remember that you can always remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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