A white-eyed conure stolen from a St. Augustine pet shop on Thursday has been returned safe, and a woman accused of taking the bird is in custody.
Dawn Christine Griman, 47, of Ada, Oklahoma, faces a grand theft charge in the case. The bird is valued at $600. She will have her first court appearance on Saturday morning, according to a release from St. Johns County Sheriff's Office media relations officer Kevin Kelshaw.
Griman was spotted on surveillance camera entering Pet World on U.S. Route 1 south before 3 p.m. Thursday and removing the bird from the store, according to the charges. She, a man and a boy got into a white Cadillac Escalade, Kelshaw said.
Action News' Katie McKee talked to store owner Danny Conlin on Thursday after the theft, and he said he was shocked by the theft Griman but even more surprised by the reaction of the child who was with her.
"It was disturbing to see the child celebrating as she stole the bird and realizing that they were going home with a nice new bird. It really bothers me. It's not any lesson I would teach any child," Conlin said.
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Conlin said several customers told the store they had seen the Escalade, which had a mattress strapped to the top, driving around the area. Conlin's girlfriend spotted the Escalade on Friday afternoon and then chased after the car and called 911.
Deputies said they were able to track the vehicle to Flying J truck stop on State Road 206, where they found Griman, and the bird was on the front seat.
Conlin said Griman is begging him not to press charges, but he says he will.
