LEDGER INDEPENDENT (Maysville, Kentucky) 22 December 09 Two men arrested after stealing pet lizard (Melinda Charles)

Morehead: Two men were arrested and jailed after they stole a lizard and tried to pawn it for alcohol, according to police.

David Martt, 44, of Hillsboro and his son, 18-year-old Harley D. Martt of Morehead, were charged with theft by unlawful taking under $500 on Dec. 16 after allegedly taking a bearded dragon from a Morehead veterinary clinic and then trying to pawn and trade the reptile for liquor.

According to reports, the men entered Eagles Landing Pet Hospital in Morehead Wednesday afternoon. While one man attempted to make an appointment for a puppy, the other wandered around the lobby. Shortly after, a volunteer discovered the 18-inch lizard, worth approximately $350, was missing from its aquarium. The incident was recorded by video surveillance cameras.

Officers with the Morehead Police Department began searching for the lizard around 2 p.m. the same day after receiving a tip a pair of men tried to pawn a reptile at JB's Gun and Pawn, also in Morehead. When the pawn attempt failed, the men proceeded to Freight Station and First Street Liquors where they tried to trade the lizard for liquor, police said. All four businesses are located within a few blocks of one another on in Morehead.

Police apprehended the pair at 3:40 p.m. when they were seen entering apartments on Bridge Street.

The lizard, known as "Big," is recovering at the veterinary clinic. Because he is a desert creature, Big sustained severe hypothermia, employees said.

David Martt is still being lodged at the Rowan County Detention Center. Harley Martt, who was also charged with failure to appear, citation for a misdemeanor, was released from RCDC on Monday.
Two men arrested after stealing pet lizard

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