A baby parrot worth £300 was stolen from a Clacton pet shop.
A customer who had been handling the Green Cheek Conur is thought to have stolen it from Kaywoods Pet Supplies in Old Road.
The incident happened at about 2.30pm on Friday when the shop had a number of people in it.
Assistant manager Terri-Anne Potts said: "A woman had opened the cage herself and was handling the parrot and I went and asked her to put it back.
"I had to carry on serving customers at the other end of the store and the woman walked out and said 'thank-you'.
"When we checked there were only two parrots in the cage, and there were three before."
The woman had a tattoo on her arm and was said to use a walking crutch.
Anyone with information should contact Clacton police on 01255 221312
Published Monday October 14, 2002
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