Officers track down stolen turtle

A turtle has been tracked down and returned to a pet shop two days after it was stolen in South Staffordshire.

We launched an investigation after the animal was taken from a tank at Doolittles Pet and Aquatic Superstore, on Bridgnorth Road, Shipley, on Wednesday (4 October).

A woman entered the store, reached into the tank and put the reptile in her handbag before fleeing in a car, which was parked outside.

After officers helped to identify the vehicle, we tracked it down and recovered the reptile from inside an address two days later.

A 31-year-old woman, from Wolverhampton, was issued with a community resolution order as part of the investigation.

PC Darren Wilkes, who dealt with the case alongside Sergeant Dudley Pinson, said: “Officers from the wildlife crime team worked quickly to track down this animal and return it to its grateful owners.

"Thankfully, no harm came to the turtle and it is now relaxing under a heat lamp after the ordeal.

“We are committed to supporting residents and businesses of the rural community and will continue to proactively investigate crime and deter offenders as much as we can across Staffordshire.”

To read more about how we tackle rural and wildlife crime, visit: Wildlife crime | Staffordshire Police