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The Town of Manlius Police Department arrested three teenagers on Tuesday who allegedly stole a female swan and her four offspring from a Manlius swan pond. The charges for the three teenagers — ages 16, 17 and 18 — include grand larceny and criminal mischief.

The three teenagers allegedly stole the swans between midnight and 3 a.m. on Monday from Manlius, about 11 miles southeast of Syracuse, TMPD Sgt. Ken Hatter said in a Wednesday press conference. Police only charged the 18-year-old.

The police received information about the missing swans at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Capt. Tina Stanton said at the conference.

Following an investigation, the police located two cygnets, or young swans, at Syracuse’s Black Friday Bins store and the other two at a suspect’s home in the city.

The teenagers killed Faye, the mother swan, at the pond and gave her to one of their relatives to cook, Hatter said. The teens and their family and friends allegedly ate the swan on Memorial Day.

Hatter said in the press conference that the teenagers were not hunting out of starvation. Hunting swans is illegal in New York state, and only one of the suspects held a hunting license. The teenagers claimed to believe the animals were “very large” ducks, not swans, Hatter said.

The police found the four cygnets in good health and turned them over to a biologist who the village contracted to ensure the animals’ well being, Stanton said.

The cygnets should be returned to the pond in the coming weeks, Manlius Mayor Paul Whorrall said. He also said the town will add video cameras to the pond for streaming to the police and public works departments.

The police released the juvenile suspects to their parents and released the 18-year-old without bail. The oldest teenager is awaiting arraignment.

Published on June 1, 2023 at 9:22 pm

Contact Kendall: kaluther@syr.edu