A man and a woman have both been arrested following an odd theft (Florida Statute 812.014) incident in Florida this week. Animal Crackers Pet Store had reported to police the theft of a baby skunk, which the store valued at approximately $400. David J. Ruvolo, 21, attempted to return the skunk to the store following the theft crime. Miami criminal defense lawyer John Musca has learned that workers at the pet store called law enforcement officials to report his return of the animal. It was not immediately clear whether Ruvolo had tried to return the skunk for a "refund" of its store value or whether he sought only to give it back to its rightful owners, but the fact that he is now facing criminal charges indicate the former is probably a more likely possibility. In any case, the return of the baby skunk did not work out well for Ruvolo.
Emily J. McCormick was arrested at her job for her role in the skunk theft. Law enforcement officials allege that she was the actual perpetrator of the crime. McCormick has been charged with grand theft, due to the skunk's value, while Ruvolo has been charged with being an accessory to grand theft.
Under Florida law (Florida Statute 812.014), grand theft between $300 and $5,000 is a third-degree felony. It is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Thefts of exotic animals are perhaps more common than the average consumer might think, as chinchillas, hedgehogs, snakes, and yes, even skunks, can often fetch fairly high prices from people who raise exotic pets. Even purebred dogs are sometimes stolen due to their desirability as pets, even though they generally need registration papers to function as show animals. Keeping a skunk as a pet is legal in Florida, although the owner is required to have a special license.
Read more about the incident here.
