Two stolen chickens were returned to a San Jose farm.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - In an update on the birds stolen from San Jose's Emma Prusch Farm Park this past weekend, KTVU has learned that two of the chickens that were taken from the coop have been returned according to the city's park and recreation department.
Back to the coop
What we know:
Information about the farm animals' whereabouts came through a Nextdoor post, which led to the chickens' safe return.
Amanda Rodriguez from San Jose's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services said the chickens were found and returned on Wednesday, but noted that the San Jose Police Department is still investigating the case.
Rodriguez said the chickens weren't far. They were found about a mile from the farm in the area of Alum Rock Avenue and S. King Road.
A woman in the San Jose area posted to Nextdoor: "Hello, two chickens have appeared in my backyard and I don't have a clue where they came from. If anyone in the area has lost chickens, please contact me immediately."
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Baby turkey theft from San Jose farm caught on camera
Surveillance video shows the moment a baby turkey was stolen from a farm in San Jose on Sunday. San Joses Recreation and Neighborhood Services says later the same night, someone broke into the chicken coop and stole five chickens and left another dead.
The response was immediate. People in the comments had specific information including the farm they belonged to. One person even had names.
"The bigger one is named Queen and the smaller one is named Mariah Carey. They live at Emma Prusch Farm Park. Please make sure they are secure. someone from the park will come and get them," they said on Nextdoor.
Rodriguez confirmed these hens – one black and the other brown – were indeed Queen and Mariah.
The person who posted about the chicken duo in her backyard called SJPD, according to Rodriguez. Police officers arrived, retrieved the animals from the backyard and brought them back to the park. It is unclear how far the chickens were taken when they were stolen, but they ended up in this backyard. The location of the person who posted only read "San Jose, CA" in the Nextdoor screenshot.
In the photo showing the chickens in the backyard, they appeared to be fine and were standing upright. Rodriguez confirmed Queen and Mariah Carey were safe and unharmed. A video of the birds back in their coop was posted to social media on Thursday.
Fowl thefts
The backstory:
Earlier this week, we brought you our initial story about these thefts. Park officials said that a baby turkey was stolen from Emma Prusch Farm Park on Sunday afternoon. The broad daylight theft was captured on surveillance video. A man is seen taking the baby turkey from its enclosure and stuffing it under his clothing and then he casually walks off. A clear image of the suspect is at the end of the video.
Park officials said later that evening, five chickens were taken from the chicken coop and that one chicken, left behind, was found dead. Park officials could not say for sure if the two thefts on the same day were related.
Emma Prusch Farm Park is free to the public. The 86-acre agricultural site offers education on farm animals.
Baby turkey theft from San Jose farm caught on camera
Surveillance video shows the moment a baby turkey was stolen from a farm in San Jose on Sunday. The San Jose Police Department is investigating.