2 teenage boys ages 15 and 17

Theft of 2 koalas from the San Francisco Zoo

San Francisco, CA

Dec. 27, 2000

The 2 Vietnamese Buddhist teenage boys, were arraigned on January 2^nd 2001 in Juvenile Court on charges of 2^nd degree commercial burglary and grand theft.

The teens were arrested after police received a tip to go to the older teens home in Visitacion Valley.  The trial is set for January 23^rd, 2001.

Authorities said the boys wanted to give the koalas, as gifts to their girlfriends.  The girlfriends rejected the gifts and the animals were found in the Sparta Street home.

Both boys, despite their not guilty please were ordered detained at the Youth Guidance Center until trial.

According to police the 15-year old – was already on felony probation – and was arrested in possession of an illegal butterfly knife, steel knuckles with sharpened points and potentially explosive potassium nitrate in a half-full test tube.  The white substance was later blown up by the bomb squad.

Investigators found that the teens had broken into the zoo through a skylight.  18 San Francisco police officers who helped in the speedy recover of the koalas named Pat and 8 year-old daughter Leanne were given plaques, pins and ties at a Police Appreciation Day at the zoo on July 28^th, 2001.

(Photos courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle) The two marsupials are slowly recovering, having lost about 10% of their weight during the ordeal.  15 year old Pat is showing signs of given birth.  Zookeeper's will conduct a “pouch check” to confirm that she has indeed given birth.  If she has, it will be her 3^rd time and the first since 1994.  Newborn koalas are about the size of a dime and move directly into the pouch at birth.

Pat had badly worn teeth, and was also apparently physically abused.  She had difficulty walking afterward.  The koalas had become extremely shy and are now visibly anxious around large groups of people.

Reference:

San Francisco Chronicle

Harpers Magazine

CNN News