Jailbird: Shoplifter’s pet lovebird is locked up in a police cell and given bread and water after owner is arrested in Holland
- Pet bird placed in a prison cell after its owner was caught shoplifting in Utrecht
- The colourful animal was perched on shoulder of its owner during the arrest
- Police were ‘shocked’ to realise they had no bird cage in which to keep it
- The pet, which resembles a lovebird, has been provided with bread and water
A pet bird has been held in a prison cell after its owner was allegedly caught shoplifting.
The bird was locked in the cell in Utrecht, the Netherlands, after police realised they did not have a suitable cage to put the animal in and were left perplexed as to what to do with it.
The pet, which has the appearance of a lovebird or ‘Agapornis’, has since been provided with a meal of bread and water.
A pet bird (pictured) has been held in a prison cell after its owner was allegedly caught shoplifting
The pet, which has the appearance of a lovebird or ‘Agapornis’, has since been provided with a meal of bread and water
The bird was caught together with its owner, who remains anonymous, for shoplifting, authorities said Thursday.
It was perched on its owner’s shoulder during the arrest.
After taking the pair back to the police station, officers realized they had no bird cage in which to hold the animal.
In a post uploaded to the Utrecht Police Centre’s Instagram page, the department said: ‘We recently arrested a suspect for a shoplifting.
‘During the arrest we found a sneaky witness with feathers and beak on the suspect’s shoulder…
‘We were shocked to find out that we are not in possession of a bird cell or cage.
‘After proper consultation with the suspect we have enclosed them together… and [the bird] is of course well cared for!’
A photo shared by the department shows the bird perching on the cell bench next to two slices of white bread.
The owner, along with the bird, has since been released from prison, according to local media reports.