Bird Thief ‘Took My Dream Away,’ Store Owner Says After Heist

DAVIE, FL — An apparently skilled bandit made off with more than 150 birds from a bird store in South Florida overnight. The birds stolen in the heist at The Birdhouse on Stirling Road in Davie last week were valued at more than $75,000, area news outlets have reported.

Charlie Hong, The Birdhouse owner, said his heart sunk when he arrived at the store Tuesday morning to find only a few of the birds flying around the store. In all, 157 birds were reported missing, according to an ABC 7 News report.

“They’re just like a dog and a cat,” Hong told WSVN. “They communicate with your body language, sound. I just love my birds. I thought it had been a nightmare.”

The bird thief got into the store through a hole in the ceiling and cut off the power and alarm, Hong and police have said in multiple news reports. A surveillance video shows someone carrying something in both hands behind the store late Monday night, WSVN reported.

Seventy sun conures, 60 green-cheeked conures, 20 cockatiels, five quaker parrots, a female Eclectus and a Jardine Parrot were stolen, according to Local 10 News.

Many of the stolen birds are pets of longtime customers of The Birdhouse.

Jeanette Chicoine had boarded her cockatiel, “Doeboy” at the store, she told Local 10 News. The bird lost some feathers, but was able to fight off the burglar, she said.

She said Hong and his wife work hard on the business, and have two children, with one away at college.

Hong told ABC caring for birds was at first his hobby, and has since become the business that supports his family.

“Whoever is out there took my dream away,” he said.

A GoFundMe to help The Birdhouse owner and his family has raised more than $20,000 in a week.

“These birds were Charlie’s babies he raised them and if you know this man he puts his heart into everything he raised,” the campaign’s description reads.

Hong has asked anyone who knows where the birds are to call the Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.