Scene of multiple bird thefts hit again; parrot recovered

The Birds-N=Paradise store in Menifee was the scene of a theft for the fourth time in just over a year. File photo

An exotic bird was recovered unharmed and returned Tuesday night in Menifee to the Birds-N-Paradise store, which has been the scene of four bird burglaries in just over a year.

Sheriff's Department deputies responded at 11:22 a.m. Tuesday to the report that a Dusky Conure parrot was stolen from the store, located in the 27000 block of Encanto Drive, according to a news release. Officers were told that an adult female took the bird off its perch and placed it into her jacket while an adult male acted as a distraction to employees. The suspects then quickly left.

This is a tactic that has been used in previous burglaries at the store, where many birds are displayed outside cages on perches or in bins.

Officers from the Sheriff's Department Burglary Suppression Team were deployed to assist in the case. Deputy Dan Brown acquired additional evidence about the theft and began searching databases in an attempt to identity the suspects.

That evening, Brown and Deputy Manny Campos drove to a residence in the 600 block of Carson Street in Hemet and located the bird. Gloria DeLeon, 36, and Al Smith, 36, were arrested on charges of petty theft, possession of known stolen property and conspiracy.

In March 2018, Birds-N-Paradise was hit twice by thieves in a four-day span. The first incident was an after-hours break-in March 16 in which suspects stole a number of birds valued at more than $9,000. The second crime took place March 20, when a woman grabbed a 6-week-old baby blue ring neck parrot, put it in her purse and left before being detected. The suspect in that crime was later located and the bird was recovered.

Perhaps the most noteworthy theft at the store took place last December. Four birds were stolen during business hours. Using store video surveillance and correspondence from others on social media, store owner Lori Lister identified the suspect as a regular customer and was able to contact him by phone. In a scene out of a mystery movie, Lister and her husband agreed to meet the suspect outside their store that night, promising there would be "no cops".

A mystery woman showed up at 2 a.m. and returned two of the birds to the Listers, then quickly left. You can view a video interview with Lori Lister about that incident here.