A Harris hawk, like the one pictured, was stolen near Heathrow Airport on Tuesday evening. (Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
A bird of prey who worked protecting the skies of Heathrow Airport was stolen from its owner’s van in the UK on Tuesday evening.
Police are actively looking into the incident after CCTV footage released shows three men smashing the window of the van while it was parked outside a hotel next to the airport, and grabbing the six-year-old hawk, Sky News reported.
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The Harris hawk, Milo, was used to scare away other birds at the airport to prevent bird strikes from occurring.
Milo’s owner Layla Bennett was checking into the Mercure hotel when she left the hawk in the backseat. When she went back to retrieve him, he had been taken, Sky News reported.
According to the video footage, Bennett said Milo would not go with the men at first.
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"He eventually did when they grabbed him forcefully, he was flapping and very distressed.
"Then they threw him into the car and drove off with him out of his box,” the told The Sun.
Bennett is concerned that her feathered friend is not receiving the care he needs and desperately wants him returned.
“He was bred to do the job he does. All I want is them to bring Milo back before it's too late,” she told the paper.
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Bennett believes the men who broke into her van originally were looking to steal tools before finding the hawk.
The 34-year-old, who has had Milo since he hatched, is now offering a $1,300 reward for his safe return.
Metropolitan police are currently investigating the issue. No arrests have been reported.