New York

NYPD Makes Arrest in Case of Stolen 100-Pound Tortoise: Police

Police have arrested someone in the case of a 17-year-old tortoise that was stolen from a Queens environmental center last month and later turned in to police after it was exchanged in some sort of turtle trade, police say. 

Shawn Waters, 36, of Queens, turned himself in to authorities and was at the 111th Precinct in Bayside on Tuesday afternoon, according to police. Waters is charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. 

The nearly 100-pound tortoise, named Millennium, was stolen from the Alley Pond Environmental Center in Douglaston and eventually turned over at the NYPD's 111th Precinct stationhouse last Tuesday. 

Police say that after Millennium was stolen, it was traded to someone for another tortoise. The new owner then notified police.

Alley Pond Environmental Center staffers went to the police station to identify the tortoise and pick it up. The large reptile appeared to be in good condition, but still needed to be evaluated by a vet as of last week. 

A staffer told News 4 over the phone they were happy that someone was willing to hand the tortoise over but the NYPD is still investigating and keeping them posted. 

Cops were called to Alley Pond last week after staffers discovered the tortoise was gone and its enclosure had been broken.

Alley Pond is a nonprofit educational organization that advocates for sustainable environmental policies and practices. 

Kaleb Davis, a 6-year-old boy visiting the center last week, told News 4, "I don't know why they took the tortoise but it was very mean." 

Editor's note: The Associated Press reported in an earlier story that the tortoise was 100 years old. But the environmental center tells NBC 4 New York it is 17.

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