$1,600 Bird Taken in Pet Store Robbery

LAGUNA HILLS — An exotic bird valued at $1,600 was taken from Omar’s Exotic Birds on Monday as two men robbed the Lake Forest Drive store.

The suspects, described as being in their 20s and having shaved heads, walked into the store about 4:30 p.m., grabbed a red macaw and a green wing by their necks and dashed out the door, Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Rich Paddock said.

A customer chased them and apprehended one suspect, identified by police as Manuel Gonzales, 20, of Norwalk. He had the macaw, valued at $1,300, police said.

The suspect with the green wing escaped in a white or gray sedan driven by a third suspect, Paddock said. The red macaw was returned to the store uninjured, he said.