12/03/2008

Associated Press

A Hillsboro man has been jailed on accusations he stole exotic animals from two pet stores last week.

Police say 29-year-old Joshua Reed broke into the Critter Cabana in Newberg and a Petco outlet in McMinnville, stealing snakes, chameleons, a cockatoo and other creatures.

Bail has been set at $65,000.

Police say Scott Johnson, co-owner of the Critter Cabana, played a key role in cracking the case. When he discovered the cockatoo was missing, he searched Craigslist to see if someone was trying to sell one.

Discovering such a listing, he posed as a prospective buyer and set up a meeting with the seller — the cockatoo was his and the seller was Reed.

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Information from: News-Register, http://www.newsregister.com