A caged canary was found outside a closed Oak Lawn tobacco shop early Wednesday morning, after police say a burglar broke in through a rear window and left the bird behind in temperatures below 50 degrees. Andre Starkes, 31, of Chicago, was arrested minutes after police responded and now faces felony and misdemeanor charges tied to the incident.
Officers responded to Star One Tobacco, located at 4741 W. 103rd St. in Oak Lawn, around 3 a.m. Wednesday after the store’s owner spotted a man inside the closed shop through a live security camera feed, according to FOX 32 Chicago. When officers arrived, they found a broken rear window at the business and located Starkes about a block away within minutes of the initial call.
The store manager identified Starkes as the suspected burglar, and officers found him in possession of several items allegedly stolen from the business, per the same report. Investigators also determined that the store’s security alarm system had been damaged during the break-in.
A Canary Left Out in the Cold
Among the items recovered was a green and yellow pet canary, found left outside the shop in its birdcage. Temperatures were below 50 degrees at the time, and police said extended exposure to those conditions could be fatal to a canary. Officials confirmed to the station that the bird was brought back to warmer temperatures and survived…