Authorities have reunited 24 guinea pigs with a Tucson-area animal sanctuary after they were stolen and later found in a Phoenix home. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the Pima County Sheriff's Department received a tip from a witness on Friday that led them to the location where the guinea pigs were being kept.
After the initial report of the theft last Tuesday from the sanctuary operating out of a home in the 5800 block of West Oasis Road in Marana, law enforcement officers found the animals in a home associated with the suspects. Unfortunately, awakened by the officers, one of the 25 stolen guinea pigs had already died before the recovery could take place. In a statement obtained by AZ Central, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed the details of the investigation.
Surveillance video was key to identifying the suspects involved in the theft. Two 14-year-old girls from the Phoenix area and 47-year-old Heather Jenson—mother to one of the teens and an acquaintance of the animal rescue—were caught on camera during the theft. The recovery effort was the result of collaboration between the Pima County deputies and the Phoenix police.
As for the aftermath, the Sheriff's Department has indicated that criminal charges are pending, including burglary, possession of stolen property, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Jenson, running alongside the two teenagers, was named as one of the suspects by Pima County officials. The investigation remains open, reflecting the ongoing effort to bring justice to the case and closure to the animal sanctuary affected by the theft.
