Up before the beak
Reward as parrot helps nab burglar
A PARROT earned his owner a £500 reward after helping snare a burglar with its noisy squawks.
Jake Fletcher broke into Emma Dazeley’s home in the middle of the night after raiding two other properties in the same street.
But he did not count on Charlie, an orange-winged Amazon parrot, turning into a burglar alarm and Emma, 41, confronted him.
Prosecutor Matthew Roberts told Cardiff crown court: “He pushed past her [Emma] and ran out of the back door. He fled and she pursued him. He tried to scale a fence but she tried topull him down.”
Fletcher, 24, dropped a stolen rucksack along with video games, a bottle of prosecco and a bottle of gin before fleeing.
The crook, of Newport, admitted the three burglaries on June 20 last year in Monmouth, South Wales.
While jailing Fletcher for two years, Judge Richard Williams praised Emma for following and tackling him. He said: “The victim showed considerable determination and courage. She is commended for her actions and will receive a £500 award.”
Emma, 41, told yesterday how she had planned to lavish some of the cash on Charlie – until he flew off.
The parrot is believed to have been living in the wild after disappearing several weeks ago. Emma said: “I was going to give him some cuttlefish, that’s his favourite. You can get a lot of that for £500. “He’s been gone for weeks now and I really miss him. He loved a good squawk and he did the trick when the burglar came. I know that alerted me and led to his arrest.” Despite the reward, all she really wants is her beloved pet back. Appealing for help, Emma said: “I wish someone can find him and bring him back to me. I hope publicity over his actions might help. He’s my hero and I want him back.”