-> KJ> The internet folks have organized a letter-writing campaign to tr
-> KJ> notify as many pet stores, bird clubs and vets as possible. I
-> will be
-> KJ> Thus far, the police have no leads, and have been pretty useless
-> KJ> this case. So if these birds are to be found and returned, it's g
-> KJ> to be up to individuals.
I believe the key phrase here is that "it's going to be up to
individuals"
-> Hope she gets back her birds, it's truly a shame these
things receive
-> so little attention from athorities etc. which allows them to
-> continue.
As a bird person and law enforcement officer, I don't think it is the
fact that these case receive so little attention, it however do to the
nature of the theft and the bird owners usual lack of proper
security means and then the lack of adequate identification information.
 But most of all it is the fact that people will accept these stolen
birds much of the time paying very below market value for a bird they
know was obviously stolen.  If we, the public, create the market for the
thieves to get ride of the birds why won't they take advantage of this
market...
When I said the nature of the theft, I meant that many times there is
little if no evidence for follow-up investigative purposes.  If someone
receives a stolen bird and reports it to authorities, then 9 time out of
10 an arrest results.  The crux of the problem as seen here is that one
says a thing...the birds will just disappear never to be seen again
until some gets a conscience.  Now that importation is no longer
allowed, we will see more of these thefts but I also feel that as birds
become more scarce, we will also see more arrests.  Right now there is
just too many birds around to attract unusual attention.  Now don't
take this posting wrong...I am not trying to make any excuses for those
police agencies that are too lazy or lack the expertise to take any
action.  I am merely trying to give an overview of this particular type
of these and the complexity of it.
--- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 
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