Cheeky behind bars as criminal wings it

IT WAS described as the most bird-brained crime ever carried out in Limerick. But yesterday the only one behind bars was the distraught victim.

Cheeky, a valuable green conure parrot, was stolen from his owners Brian and Mary Costello in St Mary’s Park in May 2006.

Days later armed detectives swooped on another house in the same estate after a passer-by alerted them of cries of “help me, help me” coming from the building. The armed flying squad rescued the distressed parrot they found inside the house.