Man arrested for stealing fish from store

5883aee8-ba87-4dbd-be91-c9653a68e0dc


A man has been arrested after reportedly stealing over 100 aquarium fish worth more than $700/£440 during two visits to a store in Florida.

Employees at the Super Walmart store in Pinellas Park noticed some of their fish were missing on March 24 and reported the theft to police. CCTV showed a man catching 71 fish from the shop's tanks with a net during the early hours of the morning. They included Oscars, Parrot cichlids, Rainbow and Silver sharks, Pictus catfish, Black moor goldfish and African cichlids.

Then on April 6, a man who was later identified as Shane Cray, came into the store again. Staff recognised him as the man in the video and called the police.

Before the police arrived at the scene, Cray reportedly scooped out 44 more fish from the tanks, and then changed the price, so that when he took them to the tills he paid less than their actual value.

Police arrested the 25-year-old Tampa resident following the transaction. He faces charges of grand theft and retail theft.

Why not take out a subscription to Practical Fishkeeping magazine? See our latest subscription offer.