ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. - Polly want a rescue:

Forty-five parrots worth more than $1,000 each were abducted from a pet store.

The thief broke a back window of the Parrots of the World shop between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Tuesday, before the owner showed up, police said. The 45 stolen parrots were worth about $58,000, said Nassau County police, who didn’t know how the crook got away.

The store’s owner, Marc Morrone, said whoever ripped him off knew where the surveillance cameras were, unhooked the cages and carried them out through a hole in the window. He said he didn’t immediately notice that one of his favorite birds was among the missing. "I was cutting up papayas for him, and I went to feed him," Morrone said, "and the cage was empty."

45 parrots pilfered from Long Island store - Offbeat - BostonHerald.com

What a shame! I used to watch his show on satellite and enjoyed it. We can only hope that the thieves are caught quickly, or at the very least have some knowledge of birds to provide some semi-adequate care for them. That's probably a vain hope, though.

That is just so sad. Does it seem like we're hearing more and more of this type of thing?

From the NY Post

PET POOH-BAH'S PARROTS PILFERED | By SELIM ALGAR | New York News | New York City News | NY News

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PET POOH-BAH'S PARROTS PILFERED
By SELIM ALGAR
60G HEIST: Marc Morrone yesterday comforts two of his birds after his store was hit.
60G HEIST: Marc Morrone yesterday comforts two of his birds after his store was hit.
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August 15, 2007 -- Martha Stewart's favorite animal-care expert was crying fowl yesterday after burglars broke into his Long Island pet store and stole 45 high-priced parrots.

The thieves raided Parrots of the World in Rockville Centre sometime between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., police said.

They made off with a variety of pricey parrots - including African Greys, cockatoos and Amazons - valued at roughly $60,000.

The store's owner, Marc Morrone, appears regularly on Martha Stewart's television and radio programs as a resident pet expert.

"She called me this morning," Morrone said. "She was hysterical like I was."

He said the thieves brought their own cages "but they left them here and just took mine. At least the birds weren't ripped out of their cages."

Morrone said he feared for the parrots' safety, as many of them are young and require specialized diets and care.

"If they get too stressed out, they die," he said. "And I'm sure they are stressed out right now."

He said he was unaware of any local black market for exotic birds that could accommodate such a big haul.

"I'm thinking they had them pre-sold," he said.

Morrone, known as "The Petkeeper," brings his animals on Stewart's shows. None of the stars - such as Harvey the rabbit, Darwin the parrot and Prunella the guinea pig - were touched.

Anyone with information about the heist is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 244-TIPS.
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That's so sad. I've been watching his show since I was a kid and lived in NY.

that's such a shame. what a horrible thing that would be to wake up to. i really hope they catch those guys, people are so heartless.

Anything for a buck,I saw this on TV when I had a stop in the lower East Side of Manhattan.A inside job they knew the lay out....