Local

Pet chicken named Pretty returned to Oviedo family

OVIEDO, Fla. — Falla contacted Channel 9's Jeff Levkulich Wednesday morning to let Eyewitness News know that their pet chicken has been returned.

The thieves dropped it off sometime overnight and left the chicken in a cage next to the coop.

The family said they've now installed cameras to prevent thieves from stealing the chickens again.

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Oviedo police are looking for a group of people caught on surveillance video stealing chickens from a coop.

One of the chickens stolen was a young girl’s, whose family said was devastated to find out her pet was gone.

Luis Falla said his daughter named her pet chicken, “Pretty,” and tied a bow around its neck.

Falla said they raised Pretty and three others since before they hatched.

The family wonders why, with all the wild chickens walking around town, would someone want to steal theirs.

The chickens were stolen from the coop located behind the family’s dog grooming business on East Broadway Street.

"She is very heartbroken, and she cries almost every day. She is 7 years old. She doesn't really understand what is going on," said Falla.

There are several surveillance cameras on the building, but none of them were able to capture the theft of Pretty.

However, the neighboring convenience store had cameras pointed in that direction and captured the whole thing.

The video shows a pickup truck pulling into view around 1 a.m. on Oct. 4.

Between seven and eight men, or teenagers, get out of the truck and go to the coop.

One of the “chickennappers” is scene carrying Pretty to the truck.

There are several wild hens and roosters wandering the streets of Oviedo.

Police said people have been capturing them for years, and it's not illegal to do so, but it is illegal to steal the chickens from a private coop.

"They just came here to take our chickens because there is no running around. There is no jerking around. They just came, parked and went where they needed to get and left," said Falla.