Shark Shoplifter Ratted Out By Eel

30-year-old Long Island native Elbert Starks was arrested yesterday for allegedly shoplifting a live shark from Total Aquarium in Lynbrook. Police say the heist took place last month, when Starks—a sex offender on probation—grabbed a $350 nurse shark from a tank, put it into his jacket, and drove it to a new home in his apartment's aquarium. (The shark survived!) Starks is also accused of using a credit card stolen from another pet shop to buy a 2-foot-long green moray eel for $300, which he put in the tank with the shark. An employee tells the Post, "This guy obviously has a thing for fish." He's charged with grand larceny, which could land him in jail for five years; in his defense, Stark's lawyer explains, "He loves sea life basically, that's what it comes down to." (N.B.: This sharknapping took place weeks before our interview with a shoplifter, so it's definitely not a copycat crime.)

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By John Del Signore in News on January 16, 2009 10:31 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

Another dirty fish collector brought before the scales of justice.

Guest

Stolen nurse shark + stolen moray eel + sex offender status = Adam Sandler's new hit movie "The Waterboy 2".

"You can do eet... You can do eet with the shark and eel all night long..."

snoopydog

Next time he should try for an electric eel and put it down his pants to get away unnoticed.

Jen Chung

This is sooo Troy McClure!

barryap

You beat me to it.

Instead I'll go with a Led Zeppelin mudshark reference.

thefacts

Obviously he's a PETAphile trying to rescue the poor creatures from the clutches of cruel humans.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

@truefacts, a peta person was not involved and would not steal to put the the shark in a home tank. Also stop abusing the carriage horses. I am surprised you did not make them work today in the freezing cold