A village pub has released CCTV footage showing two young girls allegedly stealing a pet turtle from its tank. The incident occurred on Friday evening at the Three Tuns pub in Ashwell, Hertfordshire, where the turtle, named Squirt, was reportedly taken from its heated enclosure.
The pub's management notified the police after discovering the reptile missing and reviewed their own CCTV footage. The footage reportedly shows the two girls repeatedly entering and leaving the area where Squirt's tank was located for approximately seven minutes. At around 6:41 p.m., the girls are seen removing the turtle.
According to the pub, the girls then appeared to attempt to hide the turtle before leaving the premises towards nearby springs. A reward has been offered for Squirt's safe return due to concerns about the turtle's welfare, as it requires specific care, including controlled water temperatures. The pub stated that removal from its habitat could seriously affect its health and potentially lead to its death if not properly cared for.
Further CCTV footage from the exterior of the pub reportedly shows the children walking with their mother towards a white BMW after they had been near the springs. The pub's management initially believed the mother might have been unaware of the theft, but later footage appeared to show the children with the turtle alongside their mother as they headed back to the vehicle.
Pub management reportedly followed up on a tip regarding a suspected family's address and visited on Monday. According to the pub, the woman initially denied visiting the pub on that date but allegedly changed her story upon being informed of the CCTV evidence. She then reportedly claimed the children found the turtle at the spring and left it there. When confronted with the existence of CCTV footage, her account reportedly changed again.
The woman is said to have offered to replace the turtle, but the discussion became unproductive, leading to police attendance. Hertfordshire Constabulary has confirmed that inquiries are ongoing and is asking anyone with information to report it, quoting crime reference 41/57985/26.