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I feel horrible for both birds - it's obvious from the photos and video that Sam is unhappy and unwell. And poor Bufford....
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Stolen macaw, Chicago, IL
- Thread starter SandraK
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Sorry, but this did not happen in a small town This happened in Chicago.
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois and the third most populous city in the United States after New York City and Los Angeles. The city has around 2.7 million residents.[SUP][1][/SUP] Its metropolitan area, sometimes called "Chicagoland", is the third largest in the United States,[SUP][4][/SUP][SUP][5][/SUP][SUP][6][/SUP] with an estimated 9.8 million people
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Also fyi, That is his 90 year old aunt that he takes care of & not his mother all.... I just want to say thank you everyone for turning this forum around to a more mature and constructive coversation. I live right around the corner from Nick and he is a very sweet, gentile and caring man who was getting ready for a community garage sale. Everyone in this neighborhood loves Nick, Sam & Buford. we are truely a neighborhood in mourning and any help in finding Buford would be so appreciated. any suggestion out there?!?... We have called the only 2 airlines that transfer birds from state to state, notified all the surrounding pet stores, I believe there is a fund going to get more money for the reward. Any thing I forgot?????
Chicago people speak of their town in terms of where they live according to parks such as Jefferson Park, Humbolt Park etc. Other neighborhoods use a political figure or event as to denote the area of town they live in. Almost like small towns but they are all pretty well packed in! Homes are close. Everyone can see what goes on. The kids in the neighborhoods could tell you about everyone. I worked various parts of the city and one learns to be aware of their surroundings. To me it seems like this man has been cased out and the people knew where to look as the alley is behind the house and not on open street. This is where neighborhood watches can help. I live on a Bayou and have dogs which have access through doggie doors. They will bark at strangers so I am less of a target as there is too much attention drawn. Still, my doors and windows are locked but if they wanted to break in they most certainly could.
No longer in the 3rd largest....moved on to the 4th largest LOL
Using Parrot911 to get the word out and having people check Craigslist. Not just the Chicago area, but also Indiana, Wisconsin...places the crook might go to try and unload Buford now that the heat is on in Chicago from the news stories. I've been checking the Chicago area one, but it helps to have more people monitoring as it's easy to miss an ad.
Also, having anyone you know with Facebook put flyers up on their wall. Call vets, make them aware in case a new Ruby macaw comes in.
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merlinsmom13
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What about pet shops? Sometimes people seek to unload a stolen bird where they've seen the expensive birds to begin w/. 
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This is so sad and I hope Sam heals good and well. If you guys feel better about this, I for one would like to send this Man my prayers that Sam will heal and Buford will come home safe and sound.
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I would get fliers to all the vets, not just avian vets, in the greater Chicago area, with photo(s), and asking them to scan any macaw who comes in for a microchip. (Someone said Buford had been chipped?) If Buford is sold to a halfway decent person, they may eventually take him to a vet, and if the person isn't knowledgeable, that may be a regular vet, not an avian vet.
At the beginning of the school year, I would also get fliers to all of the schools, with the reward info on them. Kids often know stuff that adults are keeping secret.
And I wouldn't limit myself to surrounding pet stores - again, the greater Chicago area. Also, all the pounds, shelters and rescues, in case the thief has gotten scared and just tries to offload Buford.
The problem is that, in terms of monetary value, Buford is worth less to the thief than Sam would have been, so if s/he gets scared enough about being caught, s/he may try to get rid of the *evidence* as expiditiously as possible.
I would suspect that the thief is not a bird person. Most bird people would realize that one human's chances of dropping a towel or blanket over two large macaws and being able to run away with both wouldn't be good, and would have concentrated on the rarer and more financially valuable hyacinth. Also, an experienced bird person would have been prepared for the bite.
They are often driven out of the area so look/post to areas outside of Chicago. A pet store southeast of Chicago had bird stolen...you might check with them how they searched for the birds and I believe they were recovered. Scour craigs list in areas outside of chicago...St Louis, Tennesee, Kentucky, Ok, Texas. All of these areas have bird populations and may not be aware of a theft in another part of the country. It is usually for money so take this bird too far would cost in gas. Flying them out would be too much money now that the airlines have increased the fee and requirements for shipping./ Bird marts would be another area to check.
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I am willing to bet that this bird is still local. I am sure it is one that someone has seen, knew about and wanted. Now People talk on the streets and it will be a matter of time before someone talks and someone snips.
I still pray that this bird will be reunited.
I still pray that this bird will be reunited.
Theresa
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Here is a way to search all CL at once Search All Junk - Ever wanted to search multiple classifieds sites at once?
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Nothing is showing up on Craigs List or eBay classifieds, Tribune classifieds also. Something that I have heard that did work is the owner of the bird that was stolen placed a wanted ad looking for that particular type of bird and believe it or not, they got a response and had the police do a stake out and arrested the buy and the bird was back home. Might want to conside this BUT NOT ALONE!!!!! Might want to keep a watch on the ads outside of the Chicago area, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, St Louis area too.
Use search terms other than just macaw, use parrot in the event this idiot doesn't listen to the news and know what type of a bird it is since everyone always calls it a 'parrot'.
It was mentioned that a woman took him, did he get a good look at her, good enough to have someone draw up a description for fliers? "Woman wanted for questioning in theft of pet bird" or something to that effect. Mention that "lesser charges" will be filed if she turns herself in or mention a way for her to safely leave Buford (like at a shelter or a vet, or a pet store).
I would be careful with putting your phone number and the amount of the reward on posters and whatnot by the way. One member here had a bird get out and she put the amount of reward money on the poster, some people started texting her very nasty things that albeit made her feel a million times worse I know having a number is important, but keep that in mind too. There are some cruel people out there.
I know having a number is important, but keep that in mind too. There are some cruel people out there.
I remember that thread and reading of those nasty prank calls. Unbelievable, so incredibly heartless. But without giving contact info then wouldn't the flyers become nearly useless? I guess you could ask for replies by email, but I think as upsetting as it would be to receive those nasty calls, that giving a phone number is best.I would be careful with putting your phone number and the amount of the reward on posters and whatnot by the way. One member here had a bird get out and she put the amount of reward money on the poster, some people started texting her very nasty things that albeit made her feel a million times worse
That was a good idea to alert airlines that ship birds.
Placing an add looking for a macaw sounds a good ploy - in case the thieves are cluey, maybe use a friend's phone number rather than one they check in the phone book and see a connection to the owner or neighbour. Also place the adds out of area, even if you have the airlines covered, it could be taken out of area or out of state by road.
I'm so glad we are turning a more positive spin on this thread now
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Most of the reason was because of the reward amount that was posted. It was me, and I got quite a few people who 'found' Lafayette and either tried to get me to send them the money in part before they'd turn him over (Mostly to their 'son' via western union) or would just take delight in telling me they had him and that they killed him. The monetary amount was what got their interest I believe. Keep the amount quiet, advertise the reward by all means, but don't place a high dollar amount publicly. E-mail is also a good way to go about it or home phone number. Most of the responses I got that were disturbing were via texts. They wouldn't haev been able to do that with a land line.
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I think giving any phone number out will bring crank callers. What if you talk to the detectives handling the case and see if there is a number within the department that calls could be sent to and let it be known it would be into the police department the calls would be going.
Biggest problem with the posters, where do you post them area wise that is. Chicago is such a big area and so hard to tell where Buford is currently. Sorry Peggy, but according to the 2010 Census Chicago has 2,695,598 population while Houston has 2,099,451. Hey, if we can get a few more crooked politicians into jails, maybe Houston can beat Chicago.
This would have had to been planned since they had a blanket but is it someone from near the neighborhood or someone that was visiting friends and heard about it from them that there are 2 big parrots just sitting on a fence and they are valuable, all you have to do is throw a towel (remember, these are non bird people thinking here and that would be the usual conception of how it should work) over both of them and run.
City schools are still in so get posters plastered all over quickly but in a lot larger radius than what you would think necessary, especially the poorer sides of town unfortunately. You have to think druggies, criminals - low lives.
Biggest problem with the posters, where do you post them area wise that is. Chicago is such a big area and so hard to tell where Buford is currently. Sorry Peggy, but according to the 2010 Census Chicago has 2,695,598 population while Houston has 2,099,451. Hey, if we can get a few more crooked politicians into jails, maybe Houston can beat Chicago.
This would have had to been planned since they had a blanket but is it someone from near the neighborhood or someone that was visiting friends and heard about it from them that there are 2 big parrots just sitting on a fence and they are valuable, all you have to do is throw a towel (remember, these are non bird people thinking here and that would be the usual conception of how it should work) over both of them and run.
City schools are still in so get posters plastered all over quickly but in a lot larger radius than what you would think necessary, especially the poorer sides of town unfortunately. You have to think druggies, criminals - low lives.
Here is the contact we are asking everyone to use
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to email findbufford@yahoo.com.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to email findbufford@yahoo.com.
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