FedEx driver accused of taking child’s pet tortoise from a North Carolina porch
UPDATE: This story has been updated as McClatchy News works to confirm if the tortoise has been returned.
The original story is below.
A child’s pet tortoise was stolen from a North Carolina porch, officials said.
Now, a delivery driver is accused of taking the animal from the front porch of the home in Lee County, roughly 45 miles southwest of Raleigh.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said the woman was working for FedEx when she snatched the reptile, a 5-year-old Brazilian red-footed tortoise. She was arrested on Saturday, Aug. 13, and charged with felony larceny.
In response to a request for comment on the case, FedEx shared an emailed statement with McClatchy News.
“We understand the importance of people’s pets in their lives and are highly disturbed by this reported behavior,” the statement said. “This individual is no longer providing service on behalf of FedEx Ground while we work with local authorities to investigate the incident. We will take appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation.”
The sheriff’s office in a Facebook post didn’t say where in Lee County the tortoise had lived or whether the FedEx driver had been delivering to the kid’s home. Deputies also didn’t share additional information with McClatchy News on Aug. 15.
This story was originally published August 16, 2022 at 8:27 AM.
