Strange Offers Reward For Arrest And Conviction Of Penguin Thieves.
Chemung County legislator Rodney J. Strange is angry about the recent theft from a more than two decades long holiday display in his legislative district.
The long standing tradition of the Cook family at 1108 Maple Avenue of having a periodic moving yard display of a large number of penguins is what is at issue. On Sunday night December 8th, Glen Cook, the owner along with his family, posted on the Penguins facebook page that he was taking down the display because someone has been stealing his penguins. He had had enough and wasn’t going to put up with it anymore.
Legislator Strange saw the post and immediately became angry and upset that this had happened to the Cook family and decided to take action. He posted on his legislative page that he was offering a $500 reward for the arrest and conviction of those for responsible for the theft.
“I cannot sit back and allow this to happen in my district to good people,” Strange said. “It is absolutely disgusting that someone would steal what the community has come to look forward to seeing every year for over two decades. It has become a tradition for many in our community to drive by the display many times during the holiday season to watch the penguins as they move throughout the yard. It is a travesty that the actions of a couple people can ruin the joy of so many. I understand the frustration of the Cook’s and their decision to remove the penguins from the yard. As the legislator who represents the Cook family and the residents of the 15th district who have enjoyed this display over the years, I want those responsible arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. They have destroyed the meaning of the season for all of us and must pay for their crime! They are thugs with no respect for the spirit of the season.” Strange urges anyone with information regarding the theft or the person or persons responsible for the crime to contact the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office.