Chesterton Tribune

 

 

PCSP: Bunny stolen from County Fair returned to owner

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Willow the Rabbit has been returned to her owner after being bunnynapped from the Porter County Fair.

Meanwhile, the Porter County Sheriff’s Police is seeking a theft charge against the Portage woman accused of removing Willow from its cage in the 4H barn, then characterizing the theft as a rescue on her Twitter account.

According to police, the incident began sometime between 5:30 and 7 p.m. Friday, when Willow--a chestnut-colored Netherland Dwarf, 8 months old, “missing most of the hair on its back,” and identified by an ear tattoo--went missing from its cage. Willow’s owner, a Porter Township woman, advised police that her rabbit couldn’t have escaped because the cage door swings inward.

The next morning, however, at 8:14 a.m., the following was posted on a Twitter account: “I stole a bunny at the porter county fair. If you would have seen the microscopic cages, in 100 degree weather, you’d do the same.” On Sunday that post came to the attention of Willow’s owner, who promptly did a little surfing and came up with the name of a possible suspect as well as several photographs of her from different social media accounts.

The name and photos she then provided to the PCSP and an investigator duly located in-house records of a 21-year-old Portage woman who “closely matched the description of the suspect.”

At 4:30 p.m. Sunday the officer attempted to make contact with the suspect at her home. She wasn’t there but her mother was, police said, and her mother advised the officer that her daughter had brought a rabbit home from the Porter County Fair, claiming “she bought it at the fair after seeing the cramped quarters that it was contained in.”

She then led the officer to her daughter’s bedroom, where he found Willow--conclusively identified by its ear tattoo--in a fish tank with pink woodchip bedding, police said.

The officer took custody of Willow and subsequently returned the bunny to its owner.

The PCSP has asked the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to charge the Portage woman with misdemeanor theft.

 

Posted 7/26/2016

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

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