HEARTLESS thieves stole and killed a group of baby swans from Birkenhead Park.

Visitors to the park have been left shocked after six cygnets went missing last Thursday and the body of one of the animals was later found.

It is thought the bird was shot with a pellet gun but the other five are still missing from their nest – police believe they died in the same way.

Eight cygnets arrived at the park's lake around two weeks ago and attracted attention from families, young and old.
However following their disappearance people feared the worst had happened, according to one regular visitor.

The visitor, who asked to be known by her first name only, Pauline, said: "I come here a few times a week and the signets have brought so much joy to the people who come here.

"Everyone from grandmas to kids loves them because they're such beautiful animals.

"When we noticed that six had gone, we didn't know if it had been a predator or humans – we were hoping it was predators because that is nature and you have to accept that. But to think that this could happen is just awful.

"This is a lovely park and so many people have worked hard to tidy it up and make it inviting.

"I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt them."

Merseyside Police's wildlife crime officer is now appealing for help from the public following the tragic incident.

Constable Rachael Krueger said: "This is a cruel and callous act of violence on defenceless animals.

"Swans are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to kill or injure such birds.

"We are working to trace those responsible, enquiries are on-going and I would like to appeal to the public for information."

Anyone who has information is asked to contact officers on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/9719167.Outrage_after_baby_swans_are_stolen_from_Wirral_park/

WHY?

omg what is wrong with people.The wirral does not appear to be a good place to be living of late.
Lets hope they catch the people responsible for this

Speechless! As there seem to be cameras everywhere else, surely there should be some in the park.

Same thing has happened before with about 12 ducklings, a few years ago now.Each one killed.

This cannot be put down to deprivation,... it's complete mental sickness.

"WHY?"

Lazy parenting and chavvy teenagers with no idea of the responsible way to behave?

Forgot to add and a society that beleives everything is someone elses fault, there's no doubt some money grabbing lawer will be claiming that they weren't told not to steal baby swans and shoot them in the head so it wasn't their fault when they did......

mindless thugs, may they have no luck. max

Di*kheads!
These sort of people need to be shot with a pellet gun!
Evil

Apart from the dead cygnets, do they know how serious this offence is?


quote"The maximum penalty for killing or injuring a swan would be £5000 or 6 months prison for each bird".quote

gobshites.

Arnt they the queens birds?
Bang out
I hate these yobs with a passion!
They all need mowing down !
Evil little fu*ks!

Yes Sarah, they are and it used to be the death penalty for killing a swan.That's how serious it is viewed.

The same thing has happened in Staffordshire. They have put up a £350 reward there, for information leading to arrest.

Why not here?

Probably because chances of the police ever finding the person that did it are miniscule. And, really, Birkenhead has a lot more serious crime that the police should be working on.

Though the link above says there's a Merseyside wildlife crime officer which I wasn't aware of, wonder if Staffs have one as well.

I should think all authorities would have a wildlife crime officer and not for one minute do I believe this has been committed by only one person. They are out doing such nasty things for no apparent reason, which is worrying.

bloody terrible, should do the same back to them

i hope the mindless thugs rot in hell, basta*ds!

They should be shot themselfs

exo, see your on form again. max

Birkenhead park is not safe from having any wildlife in it these days and hasn't been for a few years now!! the area (just like most of Birkenhead) is ful l of dirty little Smelly trampy scumbag kids with Coke ed/Pot ed/piss ed trampy parents who are not much older or Know any wiser than them!!
Until They install proper CCTV (like the one's in Birkenhead town centre which are monitored 24/7 then sadly no wildlife will ever be safe in that park again!!
The evil little tramps will probably get away with this because security in that park is still shit, regardless of the new so called CCTV and Warden's!!!

I am a really strong believer in the "Broken window theory". If the police and society as a whole don't do something about what you consider to be a less serious crime such as this, what hope is there for the more serious crime, you think they should be working on. If and it's a big if, children are responsible for this crime, and they get away with it, what are they going to do when they are older. If adults have done this, then what else are they doing on our streets.
My problem is, if they do catch whoever did this, their punishment wouldn’t fit their crime.
Rant over

A lot of funding money was spent on doing that park up in the last 10 years.Why did they not go the extra mile and have proper CCTV as Kevinx mentions? All big ideas by the ones who get the brownie points, but they can't see the end result, because they probably operated from somewhere differently, and far removed from Wirral.

OxtonHill, how much I agree with your comments with regard to nipping things in the bud.It has to be.

here here oxtonhill. max

Probably the costs involved, as you said. You need light for CCTV to be worthwhile and then you have to get someone to watch the cams. Birkenhead Park is also a big big area to try and blanket with cctv.

Plus they aren't too much use in that area - the kids all have their black/ninja outfits with the hoods up.

Sick Sick Bas###ds whoever has done this needs shooting themselves!!!
This is an absolute disgrace. What sort of person does this to a poor innocent baby bird??
Sickened to the pit of my stomach by this!!!

Was looking out for the cygnets, what sort of sicko would do this.

The cowards with air guns wanting to shoot anything that breaths...

The moronic ... who did this are out there somewhere,is it the young lad tailgaiting me,is he the one with the "hard dog"walking towards me as I walk my dogs?,one thing I am sure about some girl will sleep with him because he is a "bad boy"and he is allowed to produce as many children as he wants yet I had to be vetted first before I was able to adopt a rescue dog.What happens when killing swans doesn't give them the same buzz,what will?

Didn't Venables and Thompson kill animals before they eventually went on to murder young James?
This news story is sickening. There's clearly disturbed individuals out there.

.
You're right there Rude.
I'm still seething and saddened at the same time.

Maybe we can start to understand why we once had 'the stocks'

I think this story relates to some Chinese whispers, my brother inlaw was in the park last Thursday and this Tuesday feeding the ducks and taking pics of the cygnets.

my thoughts exactly!!!!!

Source Wirral Globe


Outrage after baby swans are stolen from Wirral park

10:38am Tuesday 22nd May 2012

Exclusive By Stephanie Cureton »


HEARTLESS thieves stole and killed a group of baby swans from Birkenhead Park.

Visitors to the park have been left shocked after six cygnets went missing last Thursday and the body of one of the animals was later found.

It is thought the bird was shot with a pellet gun but the other five are still missing from their nest – police believe they died in the same way.

Eight cygnets arrived at the park's lake around two weeks ago and attracted attention from families, young and old.

However following their disappearance people feared the worst had happened, according to one regular visitor.

The visitor, who asked to be known by her first name only, Pauline, said: "I come here a few times a week and the signets have brought so much joy to the people who come here.

"Everyone from grandmas to kids loves them because they're such beautiful animals.

"When we noticed that six had gone, we didn't know if it had been a predator or humans – we were hoping it was predators because that is nature and you have to accept that. But to think that this could happen is just awful.

"This is a lovely park and so many people have worked hard to tidy it up and make it inviting.

"I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt them."

Merseyside Police's wildlife crime officer is now appealing for help from the public following the tragic incident.

Constable Rachael Krueger said: "This is a cruel and callous act of violence on defenceless animals.

"Swans are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to kill or injure such birds.

"We are working to trace those responsible, enquiries are on-going and I would like to appeal to the public for information."

Anyone who has information is asked to contact officers on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

surely they have the culprits on camera. there are some really good cameras set up in that park and surely you would notice someone with 6 cygnets? :S