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A reward has increased to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person who stole a bald eagle from a wildlife refuge on Long Island.
Currently, The Nassau and Suffolk SPCA, and Suffolk County Crime Stoppers are offering rewards totaling $20,000 for information leading to the person that stole Sam in the early morning hours Tuesday, July 16, according to Suffolk County SPCA.
Officers responded to the Quogue Wildlife Refuge at 3 Old County Road Tuesday, July 16 on a report of a missing bald eagle, according to the Quogue Village Police Department. This allegedly occurred between 3 and 4 a.m., said police.
Refuge staff reportedly told officers that a male bald eagle approximately 35 years old with a partially amputated right wing had been removed from its cage and was unable to be located, said police.
Officers investigated and saw that the eagle's enclosure had been cut with a sharp instrument and the fencing was pulled back to allow access, according to police.
The eagle reportedly was removed from its enclosure and taken to an unknown location, the Quogue Village Police Department said.
This bald eagle has been a resident of Quogue Wildlife Refuge since 1988 when it was sent to the facility by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after being injured in the Western United States, according to police.
The male bald eagle had its right-wing partially amputated as a result of those injuries and is unable to fly, police said.
When Sam first went missing the Nassau County SPCA offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who stole the eagle.
The public is reminded that possession of a bald eagle which is a federally protected species under 16 U.S. Code 668 is a federal offense punishable by fines and jail time, according to police.
At this time the Quogue Village Police Department Detective Division, along with state and federal law enforcement are working to identify the whereabouts of the eagle and any possible suspect, in this case, said police.
Anyone with information is asked to call Quogue Village Police Department at 631-653-4791, Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS or Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722.
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