DAVIE, Fla. – Detectives are searching for a burglar who recently cut a hole in the roof of the Birdhouse pet store in Davie and entered through the drop ceiling to steal 157 birds valued at $75,500.
The burglar left some of the birds flying free and exited through the back door sometime between 6 p.m. on Monday and 9 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the Davie Police Department’s report.
“My heart got ripped out ... they take everything away from me, last 15 years I put my work,” said Charlie Hong, the business owner. “This is my hobby as I started it. I made a business supporting my family. Whoever is out there took my dream away.”
Jeanette Chicoine is a Birdhouse customer. She said she was outraged when she learned about the burglary. She had been boarding her cockatiel named “Doeboy” at the store. He lost some feathers after fighting off the burglar.
“How could somebody do something like that. Him and his wife work hard. This is their business,” Chicoine said. “They have two boys. One is off in college.”
The list of birds stolen included 70 sun conures valued at $35,000, 60 green-cheeked conure valued at $30,000, and 20 cockatiels valued at $4,000.
The burglar also took five quaker parrots valued at $2,500, a female Eclectus valued at $2,000, and a Jardine Parrot valued at $2,000.
Hong is asking anyone with information about the birds’ whereabouts to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.
A GoFundMe page to support Hong has been set up and can be accessed by clicking here.