Endangered Parrot Stolen From Outside Long Beach Home in Daring Burglary

A family in Long Beach is heartbroken right now, and honestly, once you know the full story, you will understand why.

Their 30-year-old parrot, Harley, was stolen right outside their front door. Not once did the thieves try. Not twice. Three times.

This wasn’t some random, opportunistic grab. It was planned, watched, and executed with patience most burglars don’t bother with.

Here’s everything we know, and what it means for anyone keeping a pet outdoors.

What Actually Happened on Cortner Avenue

The men first scouted the property on June 2. They came back the very next day and tried to take Harley, but failed.

Then, in the early hours of June 5, around 2:49 a.m., they returned a third time. This time they succeeded.

Surveillance cameras caught two men cutting the lock on Harley’s outdoor cage. They threw a covering over him, grabbed him, and ran north on Cortner Avenue before getting into a black sedan.

That’s not an impulsive crime. That’s reconnaissance, and it’s eerily similar to how an organized burglary ring tied to a storage unit operation in Cheyenne was found to be casing locations before striking.

Who Is Harley, And Why This Hits Different

Harley isn’t just any bird. He’s a Yellow-Naped Amazon parrot, bought by his owner Randi Winter from a Redondo Beach pet shop back in 1996.

For 30 years, Harley has been part of this family’s daily rhythm. He speaks both English and Spanish. He sings. He knows the grandchildren by name.

He was moved outside years ago because Winter’s wife developed allergies indoors. He’d lived safely in that same spot for 16 years, known by the entire neighborhood.

Until three strangers decided otherwise.

Why This Matters

This isn’t just a sad local story. It points to a real, growing problem.

Yellow-Naped Amazon parrots are intelligent, long-living, and increasingly rare in the wild. Their population has dropped by more than 92% in the last three generations, largely because of illegal trapping and trade.

That scarcity makes birds like Harley genuinely valuable, not just emotionally, but on resale and black markets too.

If your home has an outdoor pet, exotic bird, or anything visible and valuable from the street, this case is a reminder that thieves are watching longer than you think, and trying more than once.

The Investigation So Far

Police describe one suspect in a blue hoodie, jeans, and white shoes. The other wore dark clothing.

The getaway vehicle was a black sedan.

The family is offering a $5,000 reward, no questions asked, for Harley’s safe return. There’s also a chance he’s somewhere near the Hawaiian Gardens area, based on community sightings shared locally.

If you recognize anyone in the released images, contact LBPD’s Burglary Detail at (562) 570-7351.

For the original police report and more local coverage, Patch has additional details on the case.

A Few Practical Lessons Here

If you keep pets, cages, or anything valuable outdoors, a few things genuinely help.

Don’t let it sit in clear view from the street. Invest in motion-sensor cameras near entry points, the kind that recorded everything in this case but couldn’t stop it from happening.

A similar setup once let a Grover Beach homeowner watch an intruder shower in her own house in real time, which says a lot about how far some intruders will go once they’re inside.

And please, don’t rely on a basic padlock. These guys came back three times, and that lock didn’t stand a chance.

Quite a few readers tell us they keep local crime alerts pinned right on their phone’s lock screen these days, just to stay a step ahead of what’s happening nearby.

It’s also worth remembering that not every homeowner waits for police to show up. One Florida mother took matters into her own hands when an intruder threatened her kids, which is a heavier reminder of how unpredictable these situations can get.

Has something like this happened in your neighborhood? Drop a comment below, I’d genuinely like to know how you secure your outdoor pets or property.

Final Thoughts

A family is missing a member right now, not just a pet. Three decades of mornings, songs, and familiar chatter, taken in seconds.

If you found this useful, you can follow along with more real, ground-level coverage like this on X and our Facebook group, where we share these stories as they break.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, based on statements from Long Beach Police Department and local media reports as of publish date. Details may be updated as the investigation continues.