Spring Break Heist: Class Turtles Stolen From Preschooler's Home

HOUSTON, TX — A little girl who lives in West Houston is looking for three turtles this morning. They belong to her preschool class, and they need to go back to school on Monday, when spring break ends.

Halle, who is five years old, agreed, along with her mother, to take care of the reptiles, so they brought the animals, housed in two tanks, to their home. On Friday, Kim Cross, Halle's mom, sat the tanks on the front porch of the family's house so the animals could get some sun, and when she came back a while later, the turtles and their tank were gone. It seems that the thieves did not care for the lizard.

“We had all the pets sitting outside on the porch to get some sun before I cleaned the tanks,” she told KPRC. “I took my little one in to take a nap, and when I came back outside, the turtles were gone.”

On Friday evening, KPRC reported, Halle was outside the family's home, on the 13000 block of Garden Grove Court, holding a sign that read "Stolen Turtles." She is hoping someone will see the sign and help solve the case.

"We have to break the news to the class. I called the teacher, but over spring break she didn't pick up," Cross said.

Cross has filed a police report, and hopes that the turtles are returned.

If you have any information about the missing reptiles, please call the Houston Police Department at 713-884-3131.

— Image courtesy neaq.org