APPEAL-DEMOCRAT (Marysville, California) 17 September 08 Rare iguana stolen from Marysville cage

A 14-inch black and white Cuban iguana was stolen from his backyard cage Tuesday afternoon, a dastardly act the reptile's owner hopes will bring out the best in someone else.

"I'm hoping a parent or a friend or someone will recognize the lizard and will do the right thing," said Richard Neubauer, who returned home about 7 p.m. from his job at Gaiser Pets in Yuba City to find his fence gate had been unhinged and the iguana taken from its cage.

Neubaurer lives in the 200 block of 17th Street in Marysville.

"It's not a common iguana. ... He has a very distinctive birth defect and he's probably worth about $400 to $500," Neubauer said. "I've had him for about a year, and he's very dear to me."

The defect is a hump at the base of the tail.

Neubauer said the animal does have some specific dietary needs, and could be at risk if the person who stole him is not familiar with how to care for the reptile.

He believes the person who took the iguana may have expressed some interest in his animals, which include a number of other iguanas that often sit on the window sill and can be seen from the street.

But Neubaurer said he recently had a conversation that has taken on more meaning.

"I was outside when (a teenage boy) came up to me and said he liked my animals. He said he really liked the red ones," said Neubaurer, referring to a different species of iguanas he owns. "He wouldn't have known about the red ones without peering through the fence."

Still Neubaurer is not certain who stole the animal, and is basically hoping a someone will turn in the thief so he can get his pet back.

"That's all I really want," he said.

Anyone with information regarding the theft should contact the Marysville Police Department at 749-3900.
Rare iguana stolen from Marysville cage

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