“Luckily, the thief was someone who knew what he was doing.”The man, 38, tried to show a receipt for the same type of shark, “but it was obviously doctored,” Chief Salvaggio said. On Monday night, the man confessed to taking Miss Helen, and a neighbor confessed to helping, he said. The local police are working with federal officials to determine if federal charges might be warranted, since transporting some animals requires permits, Chief Salvaggio said. It was not clear why they took Miss Helen, who is valued at about $2,000. Chief Salvaggio said that the police didn’t initially think the thieves planned to sell her, and that the man once had a similar shark who died.

Source: New York Times July 31, 2018 17:18 UTC