Strange Heist Outside SoFi Stadium Leaves Police Searching For Bird Thief

INGLEWOOD, CA — Authorities are searching for a person who stole a vehicle that was carrying two birds from SoFi Stadium during a football game Sunday.

The theft occurred around 2:20 p.m. from the lake area outside SoFi, when a suspect hopped into a Kawasaki Mule utility task vehicle and drive off the property. The key had been left inside the vehicle, which is similar to a heavy-duty golf cart, according to the Inglewood Police Department.

"Affixed to the bed of the UTV were two (brown) Harris' Hawks housed in green containers," police said in a statement. "These hawks are used during the games by a falconer in order to deter other birds in the area."

Seagulls are drawn to venues like SoFi Stadium because of access to water and leftover food. The presence of predatory birds help scare them away, LAist reported.

As of that 2023 article, the falconer at SoFi was using six to eight Harris's hawks of various ages for the task.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact the Inglewood Police Department at 310-412-5206.