7,000 insects and lizards stolen from the museum … And the employees did it

A museum in Philadelphia is a bit short. Well, more than a few. About 7,000 insects, spiders and scorpions – and a number of lizards – have recently been stolen from the Philadelphia insects and butterflies.

The stolen creatures are estimated at around $ 40,000, and museum officials suspect thieves are trying to sell many of the most wanted creatures to collectors, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Exotic species such as orchids' coats, giant centipedes and leopard geckos are among the missing, and museum staff would be responsible for the robbery, which is currently under investigation by the FBI. . . [Photos: 15 Insects and Spiders That May Share Your Home]

According to Cambridge, rhinoceros cockroaches, multiple tarantulas and highly venomous six-eyed spiders are also part of the individual arthropods stolen.

"They just took them directly to active exhibitions, put them in transfer containers and took them away," he said.

Whole colonies of insects kept behind the scenes and used for educational programs were also taken. In total, the thieves took away more than 80% of the museum's collection, reported CNN. This could be the biggest burglary of living insects in history, and it's such an unusual flight that the museum's insurance is unlikely to cover the loss, Cambridge told CNN.

"Why would they be? This is unprecedented," added Cambridge.

Sending a message

A disgruntled employee may have organized the flight as a refund for being fired, organized the rest of the people in his department to steal the collection, said Cambridge Live Science.

The employee had returned his blue work uniform in a disturbing manner, using a pair of knives to stab him in the wall of a quarantine space of the museum, "to send a message," Cambridge said.

As of August 21, security cameras captured the culprits – employees of the Insectarium – by removing insects and other creatures from the premises in boxes; According to Philly Voice, they stealthily continued to hunt insects and lizards from the building for the next few days.

Once all the animals were stolen, the final act of the thieves was to steal the Insectarium's records of their bedbug populations, making it more difficult to track what had been taken, reported Philly Voice.

Seven employees were involved in the robbery, but two people have since "come to nothing" and convinced the authorities to have acted as they did under duress, Cambridge told Live Science.

This unusual crime could cause even more problems for thieves than they expected, as eight of the stolen bullets are considered federal evidence, Cambridge added. The Insectarium was a temporary focus for spiders, which had been smuggled into the country and then confiscated by the authorities, Cambridge said.

"We are one of the facilities that can accommodate these creatures and take care of them," he said.

The Insectarium is currently renovating its two upper floors and plans to reopen them to the public on November 3rd.

Original article on live science.