Fowl play: The criminals stealing elite racing pigeons
Summary
A valuable racing pigeon named Finn was stolen in Belgium as part of a series of bird thefts linked to organized crime groups called the "pigeon mafia." Racing pigeons can be extremely valuable, with top birds and their offspring selling for hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars worldwide, especially in China. This illegal trade has spread to several countries and threatens the sport and breeding markets.Key Facts
- Finn, a champion racing pigeon from Belgium, was stolen and is worth over $1.6 million with his fellow stolen birds.
- Racing pigeons can fly very fast, up to about 60 mph normally and sometimes 100 mph with wind.
- Pigeon racing involves birds returning to a home loft after being released miles away, with large cash prizes at some races.
- One loft racing requires young pigeons to be raised in a single location to learn it as home before races.
- Pigeon Paradise (PIPA) is a major online auction site for racing pigeons, selling about $46 million worth of birds annually.
- China is a key market, buying about half the pigeons sold on PIPA, with big races and prizes there.
- Criminal groups are stealing pigeons and selling babies on the black market to improve bloodlines illegally.
- Police intercepted pigeons smuggled in socks at a border between Latvia and Russia, showing the global scale of the crime.
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