Seagulls killed
Vineland, NJ (US)Date: Jan 7, 2005
Disposition: Open
Case Images: 2 files available
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
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SPCA investigators found themselves repeating a gruesome task Friday morning when they were called to Cumberland Mall to collect three seagull carcasses.
The early morning attack eerily mirrors a Nov. 16 massacre of 16 gulls.
Jeffrey Kane, 18, of Millville, was charged with animal cruelty in connection with the initial incident. He is not a suspect in this latest incident, according to the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
"This is a copycat thing," said Bev Greco, the SPCA's supervisor of cruelty investigations.
Someone called police about 8 a.m. to report the slaughtered birds. Animal control officer Diane Starn, the SPCA and an official from the N.J. Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to the scene along with police.
This time, the crumpled fowl were found lying in the front of the mall, not in the rear lot as in the first case.
The line of three broken-winged gulls indicated the path of the vehicle that mowed them down as it veered through the lot between Toys 'R' Us and Burger King.
Again, it appears food was used to lure the birds to congregate in a single spot. In the first case, investigators believe balled up chicken or tuna attracted the gulls.
This time, the baiting effort was much more obvious.
A raw turkey wing and a circle of small bones littered the asphalt near the twisted trio.
Investigators found a carving fork in a nearby mulched landscaping area.
"There was fresh blood on the tip," Greco said.
The fork was bagged and is being held as evidence. Hopefully there will be fingerprints, Greco said.
Home Depot's surveillance cameras, which captured the Nov. 16 attack, did not pan far enough to record the latest incident, said Don Harrison, a Home Depot spokesman, who noted the footage was made immediately available to investigators.
Cumberland Mall security officials told police they conducted early morning patrols and didn't spot any suspicious activity.
The mall's surveillance footage is also being reviewed.
"Whatever tape we had was turned over to the police," said Lisa Wolstromer, the mall's spokeswoman. "We are cooperating and hope they can catch the person responsible."
Greco acknowledged not everyone is fond of seagulls. But they are protected animals and killing them is a crime. Sometimes, she noted, people don't realize that.
"The point they are missing is it's the behavior," Greco said. "These birds are being baited and killed." References« Back to Search Results Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges. For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.
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