Shell Shocked: 20 Baby Tortoises Stolen In Smash And Grab At Stockton Business

STOCKTON (CBS13) — Officers are looking for the suspect who stole nearly two dozen baby tortoises from a Stockton business.

Stockton police say the incident happened back on Jan. 21. A suspect was able to break into the display of the 1300 block of E. Miner Avenue business.

The suspect then pocketed about 20 live baby tortoises and took off.

"They broke in our back door. They must have been in our store before because they knew right where to go for them," Assistant Manager Jeff Cardoza told CBS13.

Police say the suspect caused around $2,000 in damage to the property.

Surveillance pictures show the suspect bee-line straight to the baby tortoises and smash the display. Rosendo Villagran had just cleaned out their cages.

"They broke in a second time because they forgot the food. I was like, 'Oh My God,'" said Villagran.

It's a commitment, to say the least.

"It's a commitment, a life-long commitment," said Yessenia Ledesma.

Ledesma considered buying one, but while they may be small now, they'll grow to at least 90 pounds and live to at least 100 years old. It was a pricey theft for a complicated creature.

"It's just so harsh. I know that a lot of animals, if they're not in the right humidity, they could get sick," said Ledesma.

The longtime, local business is now sounding the alarm on a greedy suspect who even came back for more.

"They came back a second time, but they couldn't break the glass, didn't stick around and they took off again," said Cardoza. "[The turtles] are worth about $200 a piece. They're expensive so it was quite costly to us."

Anyone who recognizes the suspect or who has any other information relevant to the investigation is urged to call Stockton police detectives at (209) 937-8597.