- Now I think unfortunately all hope is lost – Dagbladet.no

(Dagbladet): Three penguin chicks were stolen Thursday morning from Atlanterhavsparken in Ålesund.

The Three Little Penguin kids are most likely died after being without food from their parents for so long. The three penguins are still not found.

– Now I think unfortunately all hope is lost, says CEO Atlanterhavsparken Tor Erik Standal Dagbladet late Friday night.

Police charged Friday four people – all russ – by the Animal Welfare Act § 14 b: to “Abandon animals in a helpless condition.”

Surveillance Video

Yesterday evening freed police a monitoring video from the aquarium where the penguins were taken away.

The video shows several people who cross the area. Apparently also wears these people with something out of the park, but police would not determine the last a hundred percent with one hundred percent certainty that the Russians recorded by surveillance cameras, taking with them anything.

– All the four accused acknowledges having been inside the fence and that they have gone down to the area where the penguins are located, but they say that they have not stolen penguins, says police inspector Yngve Skovly Dagbladet.

The police have interrogated the four accused and seized mobile phones. Police will also review images taken from the seized phones. Managing Director Tor Erik Standal by Atlanterhavsparken says to Sunnmørsposten that there also were taking pictures with flash underway.

– Asking to be believed

Lawyer Reidar Andresen, representing three of the defendants in case:

– To ascertain that they have taken penguin chicks and / or eggs is not possible to determine from surveillance video. It claims they also stubbornly that they have done, and what they are asking to be believed, he says to Dagbladet.

– As the case now presented, it seems that both the media and public opinion has ruled in the case before the police have investigated this done, the lawyer said.

He says the matter is an enormous burden for the individual and for families.

– The case produced so far in my opinion, unbalanced, and has so far not in any Field safeguarded the legal rights of those currently designated to have been in the field, says Andresen.

The lawyer says he has recorded to the police if it can be other than school leavers who have brought penguins – whether two-legged, four-legged or birds.

Lawyer Axel Lange has been appointed as defense counsel to the fourth accused in the case, he acknowledges not having taken penguins.

– He does not know why the penguins were taken, or who has taken them. He feels put in a real squeeze, says Lange told Dagbladet.

Risking imprisonment

If prosecutors were to fall down on that violation is serious, open Welfare Act § 37, second paragraph of imprisonment in untill three years . Police Attorney Skovly says they have not taken a position on this.

Dagbladet know of only one case where there has been a conviction to Abandon animals in a helpless condition, when a farmer was sentenced to 75 days imprisonment in Dublin District Court in 2012.