[MSN] Baltomore. Police raid Ellicott City art gallery, take stuffed birds

[MSN]

Police raid Ellicott City art gallery, take stuffed birds

This stuffed owl was one of the birds as well as a songbird display removed
from the Still Life gallery in Ellicott City because the owner did not have
a permit for them. - Courtesy photo:
http://www.examiner.com/printa-1233065~Police_raid_Ellicott_City_art_gallery
,_take_stuffed_birds.html 

Carolyn Peirce, The Examiner
2008-02-21 08:00:00.0
Current rank: # 35 of 21,292
BALTIMORE -

The employee of an Ellicott City art gallery was reduced to tears when an
officer barged into the exhibit and snatched three stuffed owls and several
songbirds.

"In our opinion, it was a theft without any probable cause or warrant," said
Eric Parnes, an employee of the Still Life gallery, which uses natural
history displays to inspire artwork.

"It never dawned on us that this would be illegal, so we thought it was
someone pretending to be a police officer."

Natural Resources Police Officer Michael Lathroum removed the stuffed birds
Tuesday because the gallery lacked a permit to possess birds native to
Maryland.

Gallery owner Rebecca Weber tried calling Howard police to file theft
charges against the officer.

"There was some giggling on the dispatch line about responding to stolen
birds," Parnes said.

Lathroum was driving past the art gallery when he saw the owl display and
turned his car around, according to the Natural Resources police.

When employee Janet Decker couldn't produce the permit, Lathroum made off
with the owls and a Victorian songbird display, including a Baltimore
Oriole.

"It was as if there was a drug bust in the middle of the gallery," Parnes
said.

"Maybe, if you didn't know this was an art gallery, you might think it was
an illegal taxidermy operation."

Ken Turner, spokesman for the Natural Resources police, said Lathroum's
actions, although abrupt, were legal.

Lathroum was preserving evidence by confiscating the animals, he said. No
charges have been filed.

Weber said she's collected mounted animals since she was a child and never
knew a permit was required.

And two of the stuffed owls are not even native to Maryland, she said.

cpeirce at baltimoreexaminer.com
Examiner