13 exotic birds reported stolen from couple | The-Dispatch.com

Shirley (left) and Rocky Robinson are pictured with two of the remaining birds that were not stolen from their home this weekend on West Center Street Extension. The couple says about 12 of their exotic birds were stolen this weekend from a building on their property.

Darrick Ignasiak/The Dispatch

Published: Monday, February 4, 2013 at 5:28 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 4, 2013 at 5:28 p.m.

Rocky and Shirley Robinson spent years collecting exotic pet birds, only to see 13 of them stolen over the weekend.

The missing birds mean half of their collection is missing and the couple is desperately asking for the community?s help in finding them. The couple says their pet birds were stolen from an unlocked outbuilding on their property on West Center Street Extension between Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

They initially reported 12 exotic pet birds valued at $10,650 were stolen from their property. The couple, however, discovered an additional one was missing after they filed their report with the Davidson County Sheriff?s Office.

Rocky Robinson said the birds were the culmination of six to eight years of collecting them. He and his wife traveled to bird shows in Hickory and in South Carolina to purchase of them.

?We are just country folks, very trustworthy people,? Shirley Robinson said. ?This is like slapping (us) in our face. We would give (people) the shirt off our back.?

Rocky Robinson said the majority of the birds were pets and were not for sale. Some of the birds were of the Cockatoo and Conner breeds.

Rocky Robinson said he thinks someone stole the birds to make some money. He said if someone just let them out of the cage, he is sure he would have located at least one of them.

Shirley Robinson said she?s worried if whoever may have taken them will know how to take care of the birds.

?You just can?t feed them anything,? she said.

Rocky Robinson said he purchased a special outbuilding for the birds this past summer, placed a huge fan in it and a heater to keep it warm. The couple is taking measures to prevent the other birds from being the target of future thefts. The couple plans to give some of the birds to a woman in Kannapolis who specializes in bird rescue and the others will be at a secured location in their residence.

The sheriff?s office is seeking information regarding the incident. Anyone who knows anything about the missing birds is encouraged to contact the sheriff?s office at 242-2105 or Lexington Area Crimestoppers at 243-2400.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.

Source: http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20130204/NEWS/130209992

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