S.A. Aquarium theft: Surveillance shows suspects stealing shark in stroller

Police are searching for two men and one woman in connection with allegedly stealing a shark from the San Antonio Aquarium and concealing it in a stroller.

According to the Leon Valley Police Department, a male suspect reached into the tank and removed a gray horn shark from an exhibit. The incident reportedly happened Saturday around 2:15 p.m.

The shark is about two feet long.

“It’s a very small shark that is found in the Pacific Ocean. We don’t have any in the Gulf of Mexico. They are bottom dwelling. They actually do very well in captivity, so they are often found in public aquariums,” Texas Parks and Wildlife Science Director Michael Fisher said.

Police said the suspects were spotted on surveillance video walking out of the aquarium with the shark in the stroller. At least one of the suspects left the property with the shark in a 4-door maroon Chevrolet Silverado truck.

“[It’s] obviously somebody that knows something about the sharks and knows something about what they were doing and why they were doing it. It’s not random. There is no doubt in my mind this is not a random theft,” Leon Valley Police Chief Joseph Salvaggio said.

Salvaggio also said police obtained a license plate number for the truck believed to be involved.

The truck “likely” used in the theft was recovered Monday evening, police confirmed. The vehicle was being processed around 5:30 p.m.

“Once they took [the shark] out, they put it in some kind of blanket and went into a secure area of the building. The blanket was wet. You could still see the water running off it… Employees witnessed the actual fact inside the employee area, and an employee followed them out and tried to get to look into the stroller that was dripping water. [The suspects] didn’t stop, and they left,” Salvaggio said.

LVPD also released the following statement:

“The Leon Valley Police Department Criminal Investigations Division has been in contact with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) investigators concerning the theft of this marine animal. We are looking to the public to help us solve this case as quickly as possible so that we can hopefully recover the shark alive and get it to professionals for proper care of an animal of this type.”

Police are asking the public to contact Sgt. Eddie Gonzales at (210)-812-3347 if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of the suspects or the stolen shark.