A man walked into a Huston-area pet store earlier this week and in broad daylight, stole a tortoise. Using something to pry open the display case, the man grabbed the Indian Star tortoise then shoved it in his pants pocket. The white male flashed a peace sign directly at the surveillance camera and walked out the door. The man got into a white Nissan Frontier pickup truck, with temporary tags, and drove away.
Sherry and Paul Stack, owners of Pet City in Spring, said the tortoise was valued at $600 and when fully grown, the reptile could “snap” up to $2,000. There were two of the Indian Stars at the store, but only one was in the cabinet at the time.
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The store is equipped with nearly 30 security cameras both inside and outside the establishment. If you recognize the man in the video or have any information, please contact the area police department.
Indian Star Tortoise
Named for their beautiful radiating star patterns, the female Geochelone elegans grows larger than the male. The reptile has a lifespan of 30 years or longer. Some Indian Stars are susceptible to respiratory problems and some say raising the reptiles in captivity is quite difficult. The protected tortoise, popular with smugglers, is often used for medicinal purposes, food and sometimes thought to bring good luck.
Texas Tortoise photo by Kuribo via Creative Commons
Too bad it was not a Snapping Turtle…