Kidnappers Carried Off Our Koi, Couple Cries!

You just can't have nice things on Staten Island. When Gloria and Eric Glickman woke up Monday morning to feed the koi in their gorgeous backyard man-made pond, they were shocked to discover that between eight and 10 of their "prizewinning" (seriously) Japanese fish had vanished!

They're worth several thousand dollars, and the Glickmans, self-described "Koi-Heads," suspect foul play, even though a ransom note has yet to arrive. Police say their hands are tied because who's to say the fish weren't "casualties of the food chain"? But Mrs. Glickman tells the Staten Island Advance that theory's fishy: "Raccoons usually leave blood and guts and bones. Dogs don't eat fish. Cats don't like water...People think that because fish aren't warm and fuzzy, they're not pets, but they are and they are our pets. They're defenseless."

And her husband (pictured) is warning others to keep their koi on a short leash: "There are a lot of pond owners on Staten Island and we want them to be warned that there are koi kidnappers out there."

Photograph courtesy of the Advance

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By John Del Signore in News on September 25, 2008 10:22 AM

Comments [rss]

Hyperkinetic

"Raccoons leave blood and guts? Not if they carry the thing off somewhere."

Raccoons wash their food and usually gut the fish immediately. If raccoons did it, it would be obvious.

No way it was raccoons though. Even a big family of four or five wouldn't eat than many, and raccoons simply don't roll 10 deep.

robingee

Raccoons leave blood and guts? Not if they carry the thing off somewhere.

Bizzle

They're worth several thousand dollars...

If they're worth that much....LoJack the little f--kers.

JenChungsBaby

Everyone's invited to my house tonight for a koi sushi party!

Snoopy

Check all the local Asian takeout places. See if they had a special in the last few days.

NannyState

A neighbor reported seeing a Starkist truck peeling out of their driveway in the pre-dawn hours.

ed_Extinct

ooops... hungry!

ed_Extinct

hungru hawks?

Felix Hoenikker

A starving ex Shearson-Lehman employee is fishing them out .

robingee

don't be koi

Pull My Finger

something fishy about this story

Snoopy

"warning others to keep their koi on a short leash."

I would check all the pet stores in the area and see if 10 short leashes were sold recently.

Jen Chung

@maevemealone, that's interesting...maybe they should put infrared cameras to film the activity!

maevemealone

I dunno... koi fish ponds became popular in my suburban hometown in PA and the fish started disappearing from there as well. Turns out they were being snatched by herons who were either migrating or just passing through. Herons don't otherwise live in this area but the shiny nature of the koi caught their eye and attracted more herons who continued feasting on the fish all over town. Staten Island no doubt has some big shore birds passing through, I wouldn't rule it out.