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Poachers pilfer pink plastic flamingos

Somebody's picking off the local flamingo population.

The plastic birds can be seen in the yards of Aberdeen residents as part of a fund-raiser for the Bethlehem Lutheran Church youth group. But there aren't as many now as there were a week ago.

"Thirty-four of them were poached," said the Rev. Karl Hester of Bethlehem Lutheran.

Hester, for his part, is keeping his sense of humor about the situation. "Didn't know if we should call the game warden or the police," he said.

He called the police Sunday night. Ron VanMeter, assistant police chief, said there was no sign of the flamingos as of late Monday afternoon.

"They should be easy to spot," VanMeter said with a chuckle.

The flamingos are moved from yard to yard as donations dictate, Hester said. The church's youth group moves them to raise money for Bible camp, summer trips and mission work. It costs $15 to have the birds delivered to a residence, $12 to buy "insurance" to make sure they don't wind up in a particular yard and $7 to have them removed from a yard, he said.

Hester said there used to be 55 flamingos. They were delivered to a house on North Washington Street last Wednesday and by Sunday noon there were only 21 left. Somebody has been taking the birds several at a time, he said.

Some attrition is expected with so many birds. Kids or people who have been drinking will probably pick off one or two, Hester said. But losing 34 is costing the youth group money.

To replace the stolen birds, Hester said he spent about $230 to buy 50 new flamingos.

Now, a sign goes with the birds in hopes that people will think twice before stealing from a church. "It sucks the life out of the kids. It's disheartening to them," Hester said of the thefts.

Hester said whoever took the birds may eventually stick them in another yard or try to float them down Moccasin Creek. He'd prefer they just call the church and return them. "We're not mad," he said. "We just want them back."

The church's phone number is (605) 225-9740. The phone number for people who want to take part in the flamingo fund-raiser is (605) 225-2257.

Posted by thinkum at April 20, 2004 04:57 PM