mrkirker
01-22-2010, 07:00 AM
Purloined penguin found peeking from Oak Ridge woods
By News Sentinel staff
Thursday, January 21, 2010
OAK RIDGE - An observant patrol officer this morning discovered a purloined 7-foot-tall penguin peeking from a wooded area on the west side of the city.
"We have recovered a 7-foot -tall penguin and we are in the process of trying to determine its identity," Oak Ride Police Department Patrol Capt. Mike Uher said this morning.
"We are fingerprinting his flippers and looking for any identifying marks or tattoos."
Uher said the fiberglass penguin dubbed "Happy Feet" by ORPD was discovered during the night by an officer patrolling along Wilshire Drive. The penguin was found in a wooded area near an upper middle class residential community.
The penguin wears a blue police-style hat and suit and bears an emblem for the New York City Police Department on one flipper. The penguin appears to be holding a radiation detector with one flipper, Uher said.
Uher noted the penguin bears a strong resemblance to a statue reported missing Monday from ICx Radiation, 100 Midland Road. An employee said the statue was last seen in the company's courtyard on Friday afternoon.
The employee valued the missing penguin at $5,000. At the time of the report, ORPD listed the theft case as closed because of the lack of leads or suspects.
"I don't know who would want to steal that statue," the employee told police, according to the theft report. "Its probably some teens playing a prank."
The company sells nuclear detection and measurement systems, according to its Web site.
Uher said he expected a representative of ICx Radiation to visit the ORPD today.
"They said they'd come down today to identify him, but we want to make sure he gets back to his rightful owners," Uher said.
By News Sentinel staff
Thursday, January 21, 2010
OAK RIDGE - An observant patrol officer this morning discovered a purloined 7-foot-tall penguin peeking from a wooded area on the west side of the city.
"We have recovered a 7-foot -tall penguin and we are in the process of trying to determine its identity," Oak Ride Police Department Patrol Capt. Mike Uher said this morning.
"We are fingerprinting his flippers and looking for any identifying marks or tattoos."
Uher said the fiberglass penguin dubbed "Happy Feet" by ORPD was discovered during the night by an officer patrolling along Wilshire Drive. The penguin was found in a wooded area near an upper middle class residential community.
The penguin wears a blue police-style hat and suit and bears an emblem for the New York City Police Department on one flipper. The penguin appears to be holding a radiation detector with one flipper, Uher said.
Uher noted the penguin bears a strong resemblance to a statue reported missing Monday from ICx Radiation, 100 Midland Road. An employee said the statue was last seen in the company's courtyard on Friday afternoon.
The employee valued the missing penguin at $5,000. At the time of the report, ORPD listed the theft case as closed because of the lack of leads or suspects.
"I don't know who would want to steal that statue," the employee told police, according to the theft report. "Its probably some teens playing a prank."
The company sells nuclear detection and measurement systems, according to its Web site.
Uher said he expected a representative of ICx Radiation to visit the ORPD today.
"They said they'd come down today to identify him, but we want to make sure he gets back to his rightful owners," Uher said.