3 thieves grab live shark from a Texas aquarium by pretending it was a baby, police say

Hope Schreiber
·Writer
Thieves stole a horn shark, which is a species of bullhead shark seen above. (Photo: Prisma Bildagentur/UIG via Getty Images)
Thieves stole a horn shark, which is a species of bullhead shark seen above. (Photo: Prisma Bildagentur/UIG via Getty Images)

Most people try to avoid sharks in the summertime, but three criminal geniuses reportedly decided they would steal one from a Texas aquarium.

According to Leon Valley (Texas) police Chief Joseph Salvaggio, three suspects — two males and one female — reached into an open tank at the San Antonio Aquarium, and one of the men grabbed the shark’s tail while the other two suspects wrapped the shark in a wet blanket, and then put the shark in a bucket. Then they put the bucket in a baby stroller and rolled it away from the scene of the crime on Saturday afternoon, according to Salvaggio.

“When we first got the call, we thought it was kind of a hoax being that it was Shark Week last week,” Salvaggio told KSAT TV.

Accorind to KENS 5 News, the 1.5-foot predator was a horn shark, which can survive outside of water for two to three hours.

The shark and stroller were placed in a 4-door maroon Chevrolet Silverado truck, police say. According to KSAT TV, Jenny Spellman, the aquarium’s general manager, attempted to confront the thieves and their drippy “baby,” but the man driving said his son was sick and he had to leave. He drove off, leaving the other man and woman behind.

According to KSAT, they were able to track down the truck involved and currently have one person of interest in custody.

As of Monday night, the stolen gray horn shark, which the aquarium has estimated to be worth $2,000, has been found alive. Salvaggio said the person, who has not been identified, confessed to the crime.

“We’ll be surprised if the shark survives. We sure hope it does, but being outside of that environment that it’s made to be in — the warm water, the salt water — there’s a good chance it won’t make it,” Salvaggio said.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.