26 Chameleons stolen from Kissimmee FL

[Dez]

I can honestly say..that this had been the worst week of my life. I don't know how many of you newer members know me because I have not been on the forums too much lately. But I am a chameleon breeder in Kissimmee FL. Also a site sponsor of the chameleon forums = Chamalot Chameleons.

I put a lot of time into making sure my chameleons are healthy and happy and I spend a lot of time with them....or at least I did

Sometime between October 31 at 5:00 pm and the next morning November 1st at 9:30am, twenty six (26) chameleons where stolen from our facility.

We have a beautiful greenhoue built just for the chameleons. They where taken from there. Whoever took them took the time to open the screen cages and close and latch them after taking the chameleon out.

There is a path behind our house that is for the city maintaining the drainage ditch. Kids cut through there all the time going to the main road and you can see the greenhouse clearly . We never liked the kids cutting through but cant block it off because the city needs access for their big tractors and mowers.

It was mostly adult panthers that where taken. All my big adult males Most are pretty unique looking . The took a few female panthers as well, one who was gravid and about to lay eggs. Also a pair of carpet chameleons and a pair of jacksons chameleons as well as one adult veiled male and two younger female veileds.

There where 38 chameleons total being kept in the greenhouse and 26 where stolen. Only the animals where taken nothing else

Yes I filed a police report and have been working with a detective. Its listed at $6,100.00 value so it would be a second degree felony. But unless any of the chams pop up for sale somewhere we don't have any leads.

What would someone do with that many chameleons??? flip them for cash I assume. My fear is that they will die from stress or improper care or be dumped into the woods if whoever took them gets scared of being caught.

I have been searching craiglist. contacted all the petstores, and reptile vendors in the area. The photos of individual missing are on my facebook page.. facebook.com/dessirae and also some of my big males are attached

Jason and I are absolutely devastated. All these chameleons are our pets. Many of them we hatched and raised from eggs. Some where third or forth generation bloodlines.... grandchildren. They are a huge part of our lives and I don't know what we will do if we don't get them back.

 

[Galaxy]

This is heartbreaking and sickening. I truly hope you can recover them.
You say kids cut through, is there a school nearby? I would make a poster with information and a reward offer and ask the office if they would display it somewhere.
Thoughts are with you.

 

[nick barta]

Place some pictures on signs with a reward for finding stolen chameleons: on the main roads, nearest store, and schools.
Some parent will see the sign and talk to their kids about where they got that colorful lizard.

Nick

 

[laurahlove]

Oh my gosh! I live in Clearwater FL, and I will DEFINITELY keep my eyes open 24/7 for them!!! I'm so sorry!!!! I'll help you look. I hope you can get your babies back.

 

[Dez]

This is heartbreaking and sickening. I truly hope you can recover them.
You say kids cut through, is there a school nearby? I would make a poster with information and a reward offer and ask the office if they would display it somewhere.
Thoughts are with you.

I say kids... but they are younger people maybe like 15 to 25 years old. We have put flyers up around with the title "Know anyone with a Unique new pet??"

 

[Chase]

I'm in Gainesville and will look out for you. This sucks and I hope they're caught. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

Chase

 

[little leaf]

this makes me so sad to read - I feel just so bad for you the heartache must be so strong, and anger a close 2nd - is there ANY cameras around, maybe they caught someone in the area with an odd box/ or bag - I just can not believe this , and like you said- what does someone do with all those chams ? I am way up in Ohio - but keeping my eyes open for you up this way- if there is ANY way I can help do ANYTHING, please let me know - praying for a safe return on your family

 

[SSimsswiSS]

Sorry to hear this sad news. It's my great fear.

 

[Froggie Mom Too]

I am appalled to read about your chameleons. I am up in Jacksonville and will keep my eyes open. In the last week I have been in and out of quite a few pet stores and have not seen any adult chameleons. I always look. Sorry for your loss.

 

[RyU]

I remember this happening to someone this past summer. It was thought to have been local kids that took off with them. If I remember correctly, most of them were returned. I hope this will be the same case here.

Go door to door, especially the places that have teenage kids. Print out signs explaining that you have contacted the police, along with local pet sores and that selling the chameleons will be extremely difficult without getting caught. Hand out/post the signs everywhere. Add that if the chameleons are returned unharmed, no questions will be asked and charges will not be pressed. I would also offer a small reward for information of the thieves.

Good luck, I hope you get you chams back.

 

[Duhjoker]

This is just sick and disgusts me to the core. Who ever perpetrated this crime was definitely someone who takes that path. They also must have been scoping you out for a couple weeks to get your schedule in order to strike with out getting caught. I say they because it took time to do what they did. Opening and closing cages takes time plus having to find them in your foliage. And time is never on a thieves side. I disagree though about telling the parents and general neighbor hood people's about the cops and probable conviction. That's one sure fire way to make the perpetrators dump them off. I wouldn't even mention that you called the police at all. Just say that there is a reward for information that could lead to getting them back and then say your trying to handle this on your own. That will be your best move.

 

[waynek]

sorry to hear that . hope the a-holes get caught .

 

[MelissaB]

That is absolutely horrible. I hope you get your chameleons back safely, and the rotten people who did this are caught. Definitely keep an eye on Craigslist, FaunaClassified, and Kingsnake. I would bet they're going to try to flip them.

 

[Kath44]

That's awful. I hope, like the previous member, that they are returned safe.
Kath.

 

[Lathis]

This is so awful. I hope you are able to recovery you're animals

 

[calvin]

I am very sorry about that. Best of luck getting them back safely

 

[repdog]

This is so sad and heartbreaking as everyone else has said. What about putting up camera's around the greenhouse to see what kids are coming through the area. See if any of them come closer to the greenhouse and check them out first.

 

[Carlton]

Oh so SAD!!!!

Another place the person(s) who stole them might try selling them is the web. Maybe send some pics to larger online herp sale sites like Fauna Classifieds, kingsnake.com, etc. Maybe someone who watches cham sales there will recognize and ad that comes up.

I cannot imagine how much this hurts and worries!

 

[Olimpia]

Des, have you gone to the local news with this? It occurs to me that it's a weird story, and a local news channel may be interested. That would be a tremendous help in getting leads potentially, because if these people are local and they suddenly have almost 30 new lizards someone must have noticed; a friend, a family member, etc.

 

[Chase]

Did they think to check for prints on the enclosures? Obviously yours and Jason's will be on it, but surely there would be some part of a print on 26 enclosures