One of two hawks stolen from SoFi Stadium during an NFL game last week has been found, as police continue their search for the other.
The hawks, which are trained and employed by the Los Angeles-area stadium to keep other birds away during football games, went missing on September 28 as the Los Angeles Rams beat the Indianapolis Colts 27-20.
One of the missing hawks, Bubba, was found in Hacienda Heights by a homeowner, who spotted him in their backyard, NBC 4 Los Angeles reported.
“I made arrangements, got over there as quick as I could, and got Bubba back,” said Charles Cogger, the birds’ owner.
Cogger noted that finding Bubba gave him hope that they would soon find Alice, the other missing raptor. Bubba’s condition upon his return was not immediately known.
Cogger was initially told by police that the two birds were found dead in bags, but later learned the dead birds were actually quails used to feed the hawks.
The shocking theft occurred shortly after 2 p.m. on September 28 when a maroon, two-seat Kawasaki utility task vehicle carrying the two birds was stolen from near the stadium’s lake area, the Inglewood Police Department said.
The birds aren’t mascots for the team, but rather work to ensure that all football games at the stadium go on without a hitch. The two hawks are typically deployed by a handler to deter other birds from flying down into the stadium during an event.
Harris hawks are not considered threatened or endangered, though raptors are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which prohibits harassment or hunting of these birds. They have broad wings, long tails with dark bands and white tips and brown shoulder patches.
Witnesses saw a suspect drive the UTV off of Sofi Stadium property and it was last seen at the Century Village shopping area, a little over a mile away, police said.
Authorities described the suspect as a Black man wearing a black shirt and a jacket with a white stripe down the shoulder, as well as black pants and black shoes, KTLA reported.
Police are asking the public to come forward with any information about the stolen birds or the suspected thief.
