Two men were arrested on suspicion of stealing two macaw parrots earlier in June after they confessed to taking the birds worth thousands of dollars, Riverside police said.
Diego Armando Osuna, 28, and Ezequiel Ortega, 36, were booked on suspicion of stealing two blue and gold macaw parrots, valued at over $2,000, from in aviary in the 5700 block of Stover Avenue some time between June 6 and 8.
Detectives were able to track one of the men down after "personal property" was found at the aviary bearing the name and address of the man. Another lead: the man had been stopped and cited the night before the theft, and his picture was captured by a dashcam.
After tracking down leads from the evidence and working with the West Neighborhood Policing Center, detectives were able to find one of the men at Doty-Trust Park on Friday. Both agencies working together were able to get a confession, as well as the identity of the second man involved.
After finding the second man, police discovered where the parrots were, and learned one to be dead.
The men said the birds were put into a backpack, which ultimately led to one dying.
The men were booked for grand theft, conspiracy to commit grand theft, and cruelty to animals, police said.
