Queensland police have shared the unexpected moment a “burglar” turned out to be something very different.
Police said the residents of a home in Tarragindi in Brisbane’s south called police on Thursday after hearing suspicious noises in one of the rooms, fearing someone may have entered the property.
In fact, there was an intruder in the property – but not of the human variety.
“I think I found the offender… of a feathery type,” an officer can be heard saying in footage, released by police on Friday.
The feared intruder was soon identified as a magpie that had flown into the property.
“You don’t have a pet magpie?” police asked the residents, after spotting the bird perched on an iron.
Armed police had searched the property room by room, telling the intruder to “make yourself known”.
Despite the unexpected find, police say the concerned citizens did the right thing in calling them.
Officer in Charge of Upper Mount Gravatt Tactical Crime Squad, Senior Sergeant Murray Cumner said they take any call or report seriously.
“When a member of the community believes their safety may be at risk, we will respond and thoroughly assess the situation,” Senior Sergeant Cumner said.
“In this case, the intruder turned out to be a magpie rather than a person – which was fortunate for everyone involved.
“But the concern from the occupants was genuine and they absolutely did the right thing by contacting police.”
Police officers were able to rescue, and jokingly arrest, the magpie with a laundry basket instead of handcuffs.