NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have arrested a man who is accused of stealing exotic birds from a backyard in Northwest Miami-Dade.
The crime, which was caught on surveillance video, took place along the 2400 block of Northwest 89th Terrace, just before 4 a.m., July 17.
Several birds were heard screeching as they were ripped from their cages.
“Just to hear my birds, the way they were screaming, when they grabbed them and snatched then out of the cage, it was just heartwrenching,” the owner said.
Surveillance video showed two men as they entered the property through the front gate and headed around back.
After taking a look around, a man opened one of the cages, took two birds and left the scene with another man following right behind.
“They came in and grabbed two of my birds that were actually sitting on eggs,” the owner said. “In less than two minutes, they were in and out the yard.”
A police officer and a neighbor in the area recognized one of the men in the video.
Officers then went after 47-year old Santonio Gordon, who was wanted in this case and two others.
According to police, Gordon was caught and cuffed on Thursday after he was found in a stolen car with crack cocaine.
The suspect appeared in bond court on Friday morning.
“Good morning, Mr. Gordon. You were arrested for three cases,” Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy S. Glazer said.
His bond was set at $31,000.
“Have a nice day, sir,” Glazer said.
While Gordon sits in jail, the owner of the stolen birds is still missing his Harlequin macaw and Catalina, which together are valued at between $15,000 to $20,000.
After seeing how they were handled the night they were stolen, the owner is worried about their safety and simply wants his birds back home.
“They are like my babies, so it’s like my children,” he said. “Just send my birds home, that’s all I want.”
On top of losing his birds, the eggs they were sitting on were unable to hatch.
The second subject seen in the surveillance video remains at large.
If you have any information on this theft or the whereabouts of the second subject, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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