A COUPLE from Lancing have been left devastated by the theft of 30 pet birds from their garden.
Frank and Risha Brownbridge, of Freshfield Road, woke up on Friday, May 8, to find their canaries missing from the garden aviary.
Mrs Brownbridge said all of the birds were taken, apart from two babies and the eggs, which were waiting to hatch.
"Without the hens, we have lost 24 eggs, because they were just too cold," she said.
"We were hand feeding the babies, but, sadly, one has since died," she said.
WeepyShe added that keeping the birds was her husband's hobby, and that they "were his life".
"We are up and down at the moment. I am going through the weepy stage.
"There were too many to all have names, but we knew who was who.
A further 21 canaries were stolen from a home in Clun Road, Littlehampton, on the same night.
SadCanaries can be worth between £10 and £25 each, and police have said that the crimes could be the work of "professional bird thieves".
Sgt Peter Allan, of Littlehampton Police, said: "They are particularly sad crimes, because of the affect they have had.
"These are older people, for whom the birds were a large part of their lives."
Anyone with information should call PC Charley Robertson on 0845 60 70 999.
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