YBOR CITY, Fla. — An Ybor City pet owner is hoping for the safe return of her pet parrot after it was stolen from its cage.
Randi Mosley said her Congo African Gray Parrot was taken from her porch at her home on East 24th Avenue in Ybor City.
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She said the theft happened on August 16.
"In hindsight I should've been bringing her in at night to make sure she was safe. Nobody has ever had any ill will towards her," said Mosley.
Mosley said she filed a police report with the Tampa Police Department.
"I'm heartbroken. I can't believe somebody would come into our property and take our pet," said Mosley.
Mosley said surveillance cameras captured images of two young men in the neighborhood the evening the bird was stolen.
"Video surveillance shows the two young men, one young man coming at 8:30 p.m. and then again at 10:30 p.m. He saw that the lights were off at 10:30 p.m. then he came, he left and he came back at 10:35 p.m. with another another person and that person appeared to be wearing a mask and gloves. They come up to the gate and, unfortunately, that’s where it cuts off, but about 50 seconds later, I looked at the camera and I can see the dark colored like a Honda SUV, making a U-turn and going back down the street," said Mosley.
Mosley said a Congo African Gray Parrot can be worth thousands of dollars as a baby. She believes the men stole her bird, Cleo, thinking they could sell it.
She said a local bird shop owner reported two men tried to sell him the bird.
"He advised us that a two young men brought her in and he asked them to take her to a vet because she had a broken wing...he wasn’t interested in buying her," said Mosley.
Mosley said Cleo had a previous injury to her wing and can not fly. She put fliers up around the neighborhood hoping someone comes forward with information.
"Find a safe place to take her. We just want her back," said Mosley.
"We’ve put fliers and we’re offering a $1000 reward for her return, again, no questions asked."
Anyone with information may call Mosley at 813-924-1628 or Tampa Police at (813) 231-6130.
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