A former zookeeper stole two penguins during a night-time raid in order to sell them, a court heard. Bradley Tomes, 25, purloined a total of £25,000 worth of rare birds from the South Lakes Safari in Cumbria, where he used to work. South Cumbria Magistrates court heard that Tomes had cut a hole in the perimeter fence of an aviary where he used to work to steal 12 spoonbill birds in July 2018, before abducting the penguins and three macaws 3 months later. But he was rumbled after he sold the two tiny Humboldt penguins, named Pablo and Penny, on Facebook to animal rescuer Reece Oliver, who became suspicious.
