Stolen Bird Mystery Solved In Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Some thieves steal jewelry or flat screen TVs, but in all his years of investigation, Pittsburgh Police Burglary Detective Bob Harbaugh has never recovered a stolen blue macaw.

"I don't think I'll ever come across this type of case again," he said.

The bird's name is Blue and he was stolen from a house in Coaldale, Pa., in suburban Philadelphia in the beginning of February.

This morning, police found Blue and arrested Jonathan Butruch at a house on Mount Washington after they say the people he was staying with posted pictures of the bird on Facebook.

Police had been investigating Butruch in connection with other burglaries and suspect he tried to cash in Blue to support a drug habit.

"I believe that he tried to pawn it at one point," Harbaugh said.

Blue was stolen from the home of Wendy Vachon, Butruch's ex-girlfriend, who today drove five hours to reclaim her bird whom she believed she would never see again.

And she was effusive in her praise for Detective Harbaugh.

"The man does not know me. We've only spoken on the phone and I live five hours away," Vachon said. "If it was not for him and his efforts and the efforts of the Coaldale Police Department, this would have never happened."

Blue is headed back home and Butruch has found a new home at the Allegheny County Jail.

RELATED LINKS
More Local News
More Reports By Andy Sheehan