“He is Our Baby”: La Verne Family Seeks Public's Help Finding 130-Pound Tortoise Worth Over $1,000

Diesel was stolen from a backyard in La Verne

Thieves stole a healthy 130-pound tortoise worth over $1,000 from a La Verne home, police said.

A devastated family asked for the public’s help in bringing their beloved pet home.

"He is our baby," said Janice Rich, the tortoise’s owner.

The pet-nappers broke into the Rich’s wooden gate around 8 p.m. Oct. 7. They snatched "Diesel," a Desert Sulcata Tortoise, directly from the family’s backyard.

"A police report has been filed by me and a detective assigned," Rich said. "But they are not doing anything to help find him."

"Police call this grand theft, due to Diesel’s worth," Rich said.
 

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