Baby turkey theft from San Jose farm caught on camera
Baby turkey theft from San Jose farm caught on camera
Surveillance video shows the moment a baby turkey was stolen from a farm in San Jose on Sunday. San Jose's Recreation and Neighborhood Services says later the same night, someone broke into the chicken coop and stole five chickens and left another dead.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Surveillance video shows the moment a baby turkey was stolen from a farm in San Jose on Sunday. The San Jose Police Department is investigating.
Animal thefts
What we know:
Amanda Rodriguez, a spokesperson from San Jose's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, said the fowl was taken from Emma Prusch Farm Park at 647 S. King Road at around 1:30 p.m.
Later that same night, Rodriguez said someone broke into the chicken coop and stole five chickens and left another dead. She said it is not clear if the incidents are related, but that her and the farm staff's instincts say that they are likely related.
The surveillance video shows a man climbing over a fence to access the barn. He takes the turkey from an enclosed area where it appears more than one turkey was being held. The turkeys can be seen flapping their wings wildly. The man on video then nonchalantly walks away from the barn area with the turkey in his possession, underneath his clothing.
Rodriguez said this was done brazenly and that none of the staff recognized the man, seen on video waring a black baseball cap, tan boots with baggy pants and either a hooded sweatshirt or multicolored jacket with a hood.
She said the staff also didn't hear what was going on and that if they had, they would have responded.
Upon review of the nighttime footage, it was too difficult to make out if it was the same person or not. The footage shared with KTVU, shows a timestamp starting at 8:32 p.m. The video shows a person approaching the chicken coop area, but the camera's vantage point is from far away and the image of the person is not very clear.
Rodriguez did not want to speculate as to why the turkey was stolen nor why the chickens were taken later that night.
She said there is a longer version of the footage that shows the daytime suspect doing laps around the barn as if he were waiting for the area to be clear. Families are walking through the area, even some with kids in strollers, she said.
Arlinda Duffy, park supervisor, said the turkey was taken within three minutes. She said the person in the nighttime video stayed hidden until it was dark enough and the surveillance camera could not pick up what was happening.
The deceased chicken was discovered the next morning.
"It was just utter shock. It's hard to see and watch the video and know, knowing the animals that we care for and being connected directly to those animals," Duffy said. "It's just a shock to all of us."
She said the farm just got the female turkey and her brother last April when they were about a week old. The park's preschool team and kids cared for the turkeys as they grew. The children named the animals. The missing turkey's name is Megra and her brother is Mooney.
"We're really just hoping for someone to come forward with information. Our ultimate hope is to get our animals back," Duffy said.
Police response
Police said they responded to the farm to investigate the animal theft one day later on Monday.
"The suspect was captured on surveillance footage, but remains unidentified at this time."
About this farm
Emma Prusch Farm Park is an 86-acre agricultural site where children can learn about farming and animals. Its mix of onsite farm animals includes: pigs, chickens, turkeys, and rabbits. The park is free and open to the public. There are on-site community gardens, fruit orchards, hayrides and school tours. It also has the distinction of featuring San Jose's largest barn.
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