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Thief Flies The Coop With Thousands Of Dollars Worth Of Tools, Pigeons

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A brazen thief stole thousands of dollars' worth of expensive pigeons from a Miami store.

Surveillance footage shows a thief wearing a bucket over his head while methodically collecting the pigeons in cages outside of Botanica el Viejo Lazaro.

Nelson and Mae Hernandez were also victimized last May.

The target was the same: expensive white pigeons that are used in competitions.

The thief got in to a shed behind the business by using a ladder to scale an outside fence and get through the barbed wire.

Surveillance footage shows him inside the shed for about forty minutes while wearing the bucket to cover his face.

He takes $4,000 worth of tools and fourty of these expensive white pigeons.

Last May, another thief stole fifteen white pigeons from the business that Hernandez and her husband run here on Flagler Street at 58th Avenue.

"I feel really sad," said Mae Hernandez. "I feel people have something against use cause there are so many businesses around and they end up here."

Hernandez says this thief is rounding up pigeons that are used in competitions and can be sold for thousands of dollars each.

"That's sporting pigeons. They cost as much as I ask for each one," said Mae. "These are Cuban pigeons, we bring them from Cuba, the really expensive new ones, worth thousands. They pay me thousands."

And owner Nelson Hernandez says he fears what this thief is going to do.

"He's selling the pigeons to another pet store," said Nelson. "What I don't understand is why people who are in the same business don't tell me that is going on."

Mae Hernandez says the thief went over a fence and through barbed wire before he was captured on camera.  Locks kept him from opening doors to get out.

"He seemed like he got scared and he looked like he was nervous," said Nelson. "He didn't know how to get out."

He may not have known there were so many cameras.

"He may have been here before but he didn't know the place, how much security there was and how much security we have here," said Mae. "It's a bucket over his head and there's the security camera."

The intruder uses a ladder to escape, dropping a cage of pigeons and then falling from a ladder while escaping.

Mae and Nelson Hernandez say they have not seen this man before and hope he will be caught.

"I feel sad. I have tried to call the Commissioners in this area," said Nelson. "I need help from the city. If this continues, I will be broke."

Mae Hernandez says the pigeons can be sold for up to ten thousand dollars each.

"I just am asking the community that if they recognize him, call the police," said Mae. "Call Crime Stoppers and help us. We don't want people doing that sort of stuff. Right now it is me but it could be you tomorrow. I am just asking for the community to help catch him."

She and her husband say the last time they were robbed, the thief was caught and jailed. They have filed a report with Miami Police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

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