Two Arrested For Stealing Koalas

S A N   F R A N C I S C O, Dec. 28 -- Authorities arrested two teenagerstoday, accusing them of stealing a pair of koalas from the SanFrancisco Zoo to show off to their girlfriends.

“They wanted to give them to their lady friends to impressthem,” police spokesman Jim Deignan said.

The two bear-like creatures, 7-year-old Leanne and her mother,15-year-old Pat, were discovered missing Wednesday morning. Theywere recovered after police received a tip.

“They are OK,” said zoo spokeswoman Nancy Chan. “They apparently were really hungry, so they went right into their nightquarters and they were fed right away.”

Grand Theft Koala

Police said the teens are charged with burglary, possession ofstolen property and grand theft. They said profit was not themotive, despite each animals’ estimated value of more than $10,000.

Neither teenager was immediately identified.

Zoo officials said the thieves appeared to have broken through askylight and slipped into the koala exhibit. The 11-poundmarsupials were returned to their climate-controlled enclosure,which they share with five other koalas.

Officials said Pat came to the zoo from Australia in 1986. Shehas several medical problems, including a potentially cancerousmass and an infected eye.

Zoo officials had been worried because koalas are highlyvulnerable to changes in temperature and have a specialized diet,eating only the freshest tips of eucalyptus buds. The plants arealso their main source of water.