If the theft of a 1,000 pound concrete chicken was a plea for attention, the thief certainly got his wish this week.
The crime happened this week in Alexander County. The 3-foot-tall rooster was a prized decoration of a local chicken house farm, and had majestically greeted visitors to the farm on All Healing Springs Road from its perch on the lawn out front. The regal chicken, valued at around $1,100, had an abrupt end to its reign, however, sometime in the dark hours of late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
Using a tractor, the thief wrested the chicken from it’s throne, and took off with the chicken all but bound and gagged in the back of the vehicle.
News of the theft became viral, spreading as far as Canada. The chicken’s plight was discussed widely on social media, talk shows, and news sites all across the country. Notable outlets that featured the story were “Live With Kelly”, New York Daily News, and the Canadian News Network.
Andrew Justice, Chicken Thief
Although only pieces of the once noble chicken have been found, the concrete statue left behind incriminating evidence that led to the arrest of Andrew Justice, 32, who is now being charged with the crime. After police discovered white paint on the forks of his tractor, he was charged with felony larceny, misdemeanor injury to real property, and reckless driving to endanger. The criminal was jailed with a $10,000 bond and is set to appear in court on Monday.
Police are still trying to discover a motive for Justice’s actions, but have said that the criminal is being uncooperative. Police hope, in time, to recover all of the chicken’s missing pieces, and bring them home.
