Pet-napping appears to be a growing problem, as thieves target expensive dogs and rare lizards in pet shops.
Stores have increased security and owners of rare pets are keeping quiet about the breeds they have.
Just last week, a thief tried to steal a $1200 puppy from the Animal Ark pet shop in Auckland.
“We thought his behaviour was odd, looked back on our security footage and he had an empty bag on him… He was actually attempting to stick the puppy in the empty bag,” says Sharon Crosbie.
The thief was sprung, but others have brazenly bundled items like a bird cage, with two birds in it, into the back of a van and two baby turtles – stolen by two boys.
“You just don’t think that people will pinch live stock, but it is becoming more prevalent and we have to be more on to it,” says Ms Crosbie.
Bird Barn pet store owner David Jones thought his pups were secure, in a wire cage with only a small gap.
“One the security footage we still found people were squeezing through the 12-inch gap and getting the pups out,” he says.
At least six puppies have been stolen from Bird Barn along with other animals.
“We’ve had turtles go missing just last month, goldfish put into ladies handbags and we lost our shop pets – a cockatoo and a king parrot,” says Mr Jones.
Other store owners say lizards and rare tropical fish have gone missing out of tanks.
Owners are being forced to keep quiet about what stock they have.
Store owners are beefing up security and limiting hands-on interaction with the animals.