It's a slow getaway (From Stroud News and Journal)

It's a slow getaway

THREE valuable tortoises taken from a garden centre were probably stolen to order, according to their owner.

Lee Brady thinks thieves knew exactly what they were looking for when they broke into the reptile house at Highfields Garden Centre, Whitminster at the weekend.

According to Lee, the intruders went straight for a "breeding trio" of Horsefield tortoises. "They were targeted to order," he said.

A licensed reptile breeder, Lee said that the male and two female animals taken during the raid would normally sell for around £850 - with any offspring fetching £200 each.

"Whoever took them broke through a door to get in then they smashed two tanks containing the tortoises," he said.

"I'm a bit upset about life at the moment. I suppose it's how everybody feels who's had a break-in."

Gloucestershire police are currently investigating the theft which was discovered when staff opened the garden centre on Saturday morning.

"They were definitely stolen - they move so slowly that they would not have been able to get far away in one night," said a police spokesman.

Anyone with information for police can contact them on 0845 0901234 or anonymously on Crimestoppers, 0800 555111.