NY man accused of stealing shark from pet store

[January 17, 2009]  FRANKLIN SQUARE, N.Y. (AP) -- A New York man is accused of going fishing in a pet store aquarium where he caught a $350 shark and smuggled it out of the shop under his jacket.

Police said the Freeport man released the contraband shark into his home aquarium, where they say he also kept a green moray eel he had purchased with a stolen credit card.

Police say he absconded with the nurse shark about 7 p.m. on Dec. 12, after entering Total Aquarium in Lynbrook. They say he used a stolen credit card to buy the $300 eel from a different pet shop on Jan 2.

The 30-year-old suspect is expected to be arraigned on charges of grand larceny and petit larceny on Thursday. The fish are being cared for at a pet shop.

[Associated Press]

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