LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — Deputies are searching for a knife-carrying thief who stole 69 valuable birds from their cages at a South Florida home.
The thefts occurred Wednesday morning behind a home in Lake Worth Beach.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said the resident returned home to discover that her birds, valued at more than $10,000, had been stolen.
The stolen birds consisted of 20 cockatoos, 20 pigeons, 15 canaries, 10 baby cockatoos and four parakeets.
Security video showed a man wearing a dark hat with an orange brim, a blue sweatshirt with Spanish-language writing on it and blue jeans outside the home shortly after 8:30 a.m.
About an hour later, Barbera said, the same bearded man returned, this time wearing a camouflage jacket.
In both instances, Barbera said, he had a large knife on his right hip.
Anyone with information is asked to call deputies or Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers at 800-458-TIPS.
