Thieves Steal Valuable Racing Pigeons from Breeder in Belgium

moortsele, belgium - Thieves broke into a pigeon loft belonging to breeder Tom Van Gaver in the Belgian village of Moortsele, stealing five top racing pigeons known internationally for their excellence.

Thieves successfully stole five valuable racing pigeons belonging to breeder Tom Van Gaver in Moortsele, Belgium, despite the presence of an extensive alarm system. The stolen pigeons, including champions Finn and Ricky, are highly regarded in the international pigeon racing community and are virtually unsalable due to their reputation.

Surveillance footage from a neighbor's camera captured the thieves breaking into Tom's loft around 3:15 am on Thursday and making off with the pigeons an hour later. Tom revealed that the thieves meticulously prepared for the theft by cutting through fences and bushes at three neighboring properties before gaining access to the loft from the roof. It is believed that the perpetrators, who evaded the alarm system, had scoped out the property beforehand.

Tom expressed deep sadness over the loss of the pigeons, particularly the two veteran champions Finn and Ricky, whose offspring have achieved significant success in racing. He likened the theft to stealing a priceless artwork, estimating the pigeons' value to be between 500,000 and 1 million euros. Tom also voiced concern for the well-being of the birds, noting that the shock of being uprooted from their familiar environment could have severe consequences.

In addition to Finn and Ricky, the thieves also took the successor to Finn, a pigeon valued at approximately 20,000 euros. Tom speculated that the pigeons' DNA profiles, stored in a database, could complicate any future attempts to sell them. He expressed bewilderment over the motives behind the theft, pointing out that the suspects appeared to be familiar with handling racing pigeons based on the surveillance footage.

Tom, a well-known figure in the pigeon racing community, emphasized his dedication to the sport and the years of hard work that had led to his current standing. He lamented the sad state of affairs, citing this incident as the latest in a series of thefts targeting pigeon breeders in Belgium.

Aside from his involvement in pigeon racing, Tom also works in finance for the police department in the Belgian region of Rhode & Schelde. He mentioned that his colleagues were reviewing the surveillance footage to glean additional insights into the theft. Despite the ongoing investigation and forensic examination, Tom harbored doubts about the prospects of recovering the stolen pigeons, given the calculated nature of the crime.