KENT & SUSSEX COURIER (Tunbridge Wells, UK) 27 July 07 Tortoise Owner Says Pet Was Snatched (Kit Chellel)
An Elderly woman has offered to shell out £100 for the return of a beloved pet she believes was stolen by a door-to-door conman.
Pamela Stevens, of Wilson Road, Tonbridge, was left devastated by the disappearance of Lucy the tortoise - her companion of more than 25 years.
The long-lived pet vanished from the garden last month following a visit from a man who said he had come to trim Mrs Stevens' garden hedge.
Mrs Stevens, 73, said: "He said he had got a message from one of the other neighbours, but it wasn't true.
"The phone went and I went in to answer it. When I came back he hadn't done any work and he had taken her.
"I was devastated. I knew straight away - she couldn't have gone that far."
Now the pensioner is offering a reward in a final bid to be re-united with Lucy, who could fetch several hundred pounds if sold to a new owner.
She has already contacted the police, pet shops and local vets in the hope of tracking the unusual creature down.
Lucy, who has a green and brown shell with chips near the tail, was one of a pair of tortoises living in the shed.
The other animal, an older male called Terry, is said to have been affected by the theft of his long-term companion and has suffered a loss of appetite. Hermann's Tortoises are native to southern Europe and can live to more than 100.
They require special care to regulate their body temperature and a specific variety of leaves, flowers and vegetables to eat.
A police spokesman confirmed the tortoise had been reported missing on June 22.
Mrs Stevens urged anyone who knew where Lucy was to contact the Tonbridge office of the Kent and Sussex Courier.
She said: "Lucy means a lot to me. I think about her every day."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Courier on 01732 304050.
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