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Metropolitan Police handout
Rufus the Wimbledon hawk, pictured in this Metropolitan Police handout image
The bird of prey that patrols the skies of Wimbledon remained missing Sunday after it was snatched by thieves near the tennis tournament.
Harris Hawk Rufus, who deters pigeons from the All England Club, was stolen along with his cage overnight between Thursday and Friday.
Detectives are investigating the theft and have appealed for help from members of the public to find the missing bird.
A police spokesman said Rufus was taken from a car parked on a private drive in one the residential areas surrounding the venue, with the rear window open for ventilation.
Rufus is also a family pet, the spokesman said.
Owner Imogen Davis, 25, said: "It's really, really sad. He was taken in his travelling box, which is where he sleeps because it's nice and dark and cool and he can fall asleep in there.
See more on this story at ITV News
"We're very, very shocked, we just want to know he's okay."
Rufus has become a well-known fixture at the south-west London club, with visitors often stopping to ask for photos with the hawk.
He even has his own Twitter account, but has not tweeted since his disappearance. His last tweet was before Rafael Nadal's shock exit from the tournament.
David said her family reared four-year-old Rufus as part of the family-run business Avian Environmental Consultants.
"We work as a team together. To have him taken away like that is just horrible," she added."It's a family business, the birds are brought up around us. They're part of the family. It's just the way it is."
Davis said she originally thought it was a prank, but was not sure as a falconry glove and falconry hood were stolen at the same time.
"Initially I was almost hoping that it was a prank because there was more possibility of us getting him back, and somebody would realize it was a stupid thing to do," she added.
"But because the hood and the glove were taken, I'm not sure. I suppose at least it means he's been looked after."
Rufus is a Harris Hawk, an American species. Hawking was first introduced to the All England Club in 1999 as an environmentally-friendly method of pest control.
Pigeons are not the Harris Hawk's natural prey, and they are trained not to attack but to circle and fly around the courts to scare the birds.
Rufus is flown each morning and evening of the championships before and after play, but not during, so as to avoid any distraction.
ITV News is the UK partner of NBC News.
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Leave a Comment:
Seriously, dude, that's like stealing someone's dog...come on!
Give him back!
A nice hawk like that could almost rip your face off. Stealing him is a tragedy for the bird and the family that raised him.
This bird will never be anyone's "pet." I really hope karma comes back to claw whoever stole him.
so...you have a family pet for over 4 years i think they said...how many times has the public been told over and over and over again...do not leave your pets or children in the car...no matter where it is no matter for how long!...even if the windows are down!????!!!...comon' people...you put your family member in harms way when you left it alone in the car unattended!...as far as the people who stole the bird...we can only hope that they treat the hawk well....and not throw him into a pit bull ring or abuse him in any other way, shape or form...so..the lesson learned from this horrific and avoidable tragedy is:.......do not leave any of your family members unattended in your vehicles ever! whether they are furry family members or children...whether your windows are down or not!?....next time if someone approves that you are allowed too have another precious animals after leaving him unattended....you will have learned from this...god help rufus!
I was thinking the same thing, Why wasn't Rufus inside an air conditioned space? He has an official job you would think he would be treated like a king. I hope he is returned and then treated like a king for the rest of his life!
somewhat critical of everyone except the thief/ thieves??
Well, lance, we do live in a world where some people will take advantage of a situation that is presented to them. Most of us would not do that, but since it is not 100% of us that would not, we need to take some precautions with valuable things. This bird is very valuable right?
Boy, you guys just know every thing about everything. Surely, there was no reason to have had the hawk in his travel cage in a vehicle parked on private property, right? They only own a business that trains and employs animals, so they can't possibly know better than any of you. (Kinda like blaming the victim for rape, don't you think.)
Perhaps because they live in a society that isn't rampantly suspicious and afraid of the common citizenry, they didn't feel the need to put their bird under lock down in an air conditioned cell. (You do remember this is an animal accustomed to sleeping in the wild? Are you freaking kidding with the air conditioning?!)
But since you don't have the common decency to do anything but point fingers, I hope all of you enjoy your clearly perfect and spot-free lives. No reason to see this for what it is...an unprovoked theft of a well-known and beloved animal. Well done.
ok finally proud go ahead and put all things that you want to keep in an unlocked car overnight and see how long you get to "keep " them
When will people learn that there is NOTHING that someone won't steal if they get the opportunity?
Whoever took Rufus is a real low life that is for sure. Taking what is not yours is bad enough but taking Rufus is the sickest thing I have seen online all day so far. What a dork that took poor Rufus. Praying that you get your precious Rufus back alive soon. May God Bless Rufus and bring him home safely.
poor bird shouldnt be in a cage to begin with now some morons may be using him to make a profit or to hurt him.
To steal a cherished pet is so very low!
Really??? A cherished pet....its a hawk that shouldnt be in captivity to begin with, not that these theives dont need to be punished but its not a something most ppl wouldnt think of as being anyones pet.
ally-288810, perhaps if you had read the story, you would understand that this family runs an operation rescuing these birds. I'm an Alabama fan, but I still enjoy watching Auburns Eagles flying at their football games. The ones you see there are birds that have been rescued because of injuries or defects. Auburn University has rescued a lot of these birds, and any that can survive in the wild are released when they are well. The ones we see at the games, couldn't survive in the wild. Every animal you see, had ancestors who lived in the wild. So, maybe they should still be wild as well. But actually they normally have a better life with humans. I understand your point, but in this case you've missed the point of the article.
There is no honor left in this world! Stealing a living creature outrageous.
.......and stoopid is now going to leave his wife in the backseat with the window cracked......
I noticed. Very funny.
Tooo stoopid!!!! Made my day!!!
I'm not familiar with the area around Wimbledon but I surely wouldn't think anyone there for he games would do such a thing but as every where else it's not your neighbors your have to worry about, it's their family and friends. Yes family, my neighbors son not living next door found out I was out of town by his parents and broke into my house. He was old enough to know not to sell my stuff in the neighbor hood but wasn't smart enough. I hope who ever took this bird has the decency to return it.
Guess the crowd will have to put up with a little more poop from the pigeons.
Why do they gotta mention the twitter thing? Do they think we are children and are gonna have a daydream about the bird tweeting? I mean come on. Why doesn't the person who runs the twitter acount make a tweet about bringing the bird back?
This is yet another example of the evil that men can do. I pray that whoever stole the hawk has enough humanity left to return him safe and sound.
Just another example of how something regal and important to the cycle of life is treated like a piece of trash. These "thieves" are probably bragging to their friends and everyone havinga good laugh because there are thousands of people in this world that find laughter in cruelty and pain. It's the new millenium thing. be hurtful, hateful and unproductive....as long as you have your technology.
It must take a real "Tosser" to "Nick" that hawk.....
I don't know how this hawk became a captive pet-but it takes a special license and certification for any US citizen to do that on this soil. In addition, even with the proper licensing, you have to demonstrate that the hawk is not returnable to its natural habitat.
Leaving him in a cage in a car was asking for trouble. Maybe the people thought they were saving him from certain death due to heat-but then, they should have notified the proper authorities first. If he is not cable of surviving on his own, he faces certain death. These birds are intelligent and dangerous. If you are not trained to handle them and they are not bonded to you, you are asking for trouble. I fear if the bird acts on his instinct, he may be killed or injured. On the other hand, the people that took him should return him. Get a couple of dogs and the pigeons won't perch. Problem solved.
I feel sorry for the hawk, he may not survive.
If you have the hawk give it back.
Am I the only person who thinks that the thief may well be an animal-rights wacko who took the bird in some misguided attempt to set it free? If that's the case, then taking the falconry glove and hood isn't all that odd since they may also think that taking them will prevent other birds from being trained and used in this way. If the bird is released into the wild then his fate is unfortunately sealed since he has imprinted and bonded with his owners and since he's an American species, he most likely won't have access to the natural wild food sources his species typically utilizes. It's sad to think that an animal like this may suffer and possibly die because some fanatic thinks they know better than a proffessional who is trained in an activity that has been around for hundreds if not thousands of years.
I hope this isn't the case and that Rufus is returned to the people who know how to properly care for him.
The theives will surely die by having their eyes pecked out and their remains devoured by vultures such as they deserve.
Update!.....Rufus has reunited with its owner
can we please get some laws changed so we can deal with all these thieves in a more efficient way?
Not sure but being trained, he may fly back to his people, if given the chance.
To those freaking on leaving a pet in the car, this took place in Britain. I don't think they were having the heatwave this past week.
i had bbq hawk last night. very good
Should they check the Royalty and see if the have the bloody bird in one of their castle's?
I will never understand why people think it's so cool to be so cruel...
Might want to check some of the local falconers around. Probably one of them saw the beautiful bird in a car and was disgusted by that treatment and now the bird is out in the field somewhere being trained for hunting!
"Lets leave the bird in his cage in the car with the window down overnight, Marge, he'll be OK, it's not like he's FAMOUS or anything...nobody will steal him..." DOH!!