Police are investigating the theft of Rufus the hawk who was stolen from a parked car in Wimbledon. According to
Business week Rufus was used to patrol the skies above Wimbledon "as an environmentally friendly form of pest control."
During the Wimbledon tennis fortnight Rufus is used to deter pigeons from the ground, flying every morning and evening. He does not fly during matches in case he distracts the players.
Rufus is such a popular sight at Wimbledon that he even has his own
Twitter account, currently boasting 1,584 followers.
The
Guardian reported a police spokesman appealed for help to return Rufus, who in addition to his role at Wimbledon is a much loved family pet. He said "The family has become very attached to the bird, who is now four and a half years old. They are distressed over the theft and are appealing for help to recover the bird."
