[monkeywire] Suspected monkey thieves swipe kittens for fictional ark
Carrie McLaren
temporary181 at stayfreemagazine.org
Fri Jul 6 00:13:20 EDT 2007
Stolen kittens found with suspected monkey thieves
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1211&dept_id=169689&newsid=18550853&PAG=461&rfi=9
SEVIERVILLE - Maybe they were planning on building an ark.
Authorities now say the two Kentucky teenagers
charged with stealing two rare monkeys from a
Sevierville pet store were also responsible for
stealing a pair of kittens from the Sevier County
Animal Shelter.
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Luis David Flecha, 19, of Covington and Jessica
Dawn Fields, 18, of Butler have been charged with
additional counts of aggravated burglary after
investigation by the Sevier County Sheriff's
Department. The stolen kittens were returned to
the shelter in good health, officials said.
"I'm glad they got the animals back," said
Detective Mark Turner, who investigated the case.
The two suspects haven't given any reason for
targeting the animal shelter and pet stores, he
said. They appear to have been living at a Pigeon
Forge hotel for some time.
Maryville police arrested Flecha and Fields after
allegedly catching them breaking into a pet
store. Officers found the two stolen monkeys in a
car owned by the suspects.
Flecha and Fields are being held at the Blount
County Jail, where they face charges for the
break-in there. They allegedly took money from
both the pet store and the animal shelter in
Sevier County, in addition to stealing the
animals.
"When they're finished in Blount County, they'll
face the charges over here," Turner said.
Jayne Vaughn, executive director of the Sevier
County Animal Shelter, said the kittens were
located at the Young Williams Animal Center in
Knoxville. Officials there took them from a hotel
room in Knoxville, she said.
They are in good health and should be available
for adoption by Thursday. Interested parties
should call the Little Friends Adoption Center at
429-5552.
"We are very grateful, and especially thankful to
have our kittens back safe and sound," Vaughn
said.
©The Mountain Press 2007
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