A woman arrested by Casper police last week has been charged with felony theft after allegedly stealing a $2,000-bird from a local pet shop.
Lisa Erickson, born 1963, is accused of stealing a white bellied caique, according to an affidavit filed in court.
The bird is native to South America and is listed by some online sellers for as much as $2,400.
On April 30, an employee of Knick-Knack-Shack on Center Street reported the bird as stolen to police, who reviewed security footage.
Authorities allege they saw Erickson in the video footage browsing the store before putting the bird in her bag.
The bird was returned a day later, according to a store employee cited in the filing.
That day, Erickson drove to the pet shop, parked outside and texted a Glenrock man whom she’d been living with since March, according to the affidavit.
In mid-June, the Glenrock man told officers that on the day Erickson returned the bird, she texted him that “she stole his gun, would not go back to prison and she would kill herself if the cops were called,” court papers indicate.
Erickson eventually returned the gun, as well as the bird.
She was identified by a Glenrock notary who had seen Erickson’s driver’s license and confirmed her identity by appearance, authorities said.
If convicted, Erickson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. She was only charged for theft of the bird, according to charging documents.
Erickson’s next court appearance will likely be her preliminary hearing.
She has since been released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond.
— Dylan Farrell can be reached at 307-441-0496, dylan.farrell@trib.com or on X @dfarrell_journo.