Gordo the skateboarding parrot stolen

Gordo, a 30-year-old Guatemalan parrot rides his skateboard on Dalewood Street in Baldwin Park on Friday, March 6, 2009 during his daily walk with owner Fred Mireles, 37, of Baldwin Park, Calif. A birdnapper snatched Gordo the skateboarding parrot. The 30-year-old green Guatemalan parrot, a popular attraction for a decade in the San Gabriel Valley community of Baldwin Park, was taken from his front porch cage Wednesday morning, March 25, 2009. (AP Photo/San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Watchara Phomicinda)

BALDWIN PARK, Calif.—A birdnapper snatched Gordo the skateboarding parrot. The 30-year-old green Guatemalan parrot, a popular attraction for a decade in the San Gabriel Valley community of Baldwin Park, was taken from his front porch cage Wednesday morning.

Owner Fred Mireles said his mother heard some commotion and spotted a man running away with Gordo. The 47-year-old childless man says he's devastated, adding Gordo is like a kid to him.

Baldwin Park police Sgt. Darryl Kosaka said it could be difficult to recover the parrot, noting that animals are often stolen to become pets in other households or to be sold.

Mireles said the birdnapper is "up against a can of worms" because Gordo isn't used to strangers and will start biting.

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Information from: Star-News, http://www.newschoice.com/newspapers/losangeles/pasadena/default.asp