Brakpan resident Christelle Barnard, 50, who lost her two rescued parrots in a bizarre carjacking incident two weeks ago, is so desperate to get the birds back that she is now offering a reward.
“My mom is desperate. Those parrots are like her babies. We have been posting the information on Facebook and everywhere we can, but we haven’t had any responses,” her daughter Anzelle told TimesLIVE Premium on Sunday.
African grey parrots Olaf and Candy were in their cages in the back of Barnard's VW Caddy when she drove from her home to the panel beater business in Ellisras where she works on Sunday April 21.
She put on her GPS navigation when she was blocked from following her usual route along Rondebult Road because of a sinkhole. While taking a detour she accidentally drove into the back of a stationery car.
She stopped to check if anyone in the car had been injured, and was busy taking pictures of the damage when a tall, skinny man appeared suddenly, pushed her and grabbed her keys out of her hand.
My mom is so upset. Those birds are so precious to her ... She took them everywhere with her, and they even slept next to her bed at night
— Anzelle Barnard
He jumped into her car and drove off in the direction of East Rand Mall, with the parrots still in the back of the Caddy.
“My mom is so upset. Those birds are so precious to her and she is having a hard time not hearing anything about them. She took them everywhere with her, and they even slept next to her bed at night,” her anxious daughter said.
Barnard said Olaf and Candy were both rescued parrots. Olaf had been with her for three years, and Candy for the past three months. She was willing to offer a reward of as much as R7,000 for their safe return.
Barnard said the matter had been reported to the police, but she remained emotional and desperate to be reunited with her feathered friends.
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