CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Romeo has been living at Feathered Friends & Co. for almost two months, having been surrendered by a family that could no longer care for him.
"The way my store works, a lot of the times, is birds come in that their living situations have changed," said store owner Marcus Lozano. "Romeo is a 16-year-old bird. Romeo had had a family before us, but things change. People pass away. Grandkids can't have these birds."
In the store, Romeo's 6.5-ft.-tall cage allows the blue-and-gold macaw to move around as he pleases and he has access to a wall full of toys.
But like most guys, Romeo appreciates simplicity.
"That bell right there can be better than any $80 toy that we could ever give him," Lozano said with a smile. "You come up to his cage, he grabs the bell and he'll shake it. 'Cause he likes to hear people like 'Oh my God he's ringing a bell!' and he goes 'Uh-huh!' "
That smile fades as he thinks about the men who broke into his store early Thursday morning, breaking a window and taking Romeo.
"It would be different if they stole toys or they took my empty cash register," he said. "But they stole a living, breathing being that requires care, and I'm sure he's terrified. I'm sure he's freaked out, and that's what's killing me, is knowing that this bird that relied on me for love and care until I can find him a home is who knows where."
Lozano said the store's security system failed because of how the thieves broke into the store, a gap in coverage that is currently being remedied. However, surveillance video from neighboring businesses shows two men working together to break into the store by shattering a large side window, then taking Romeo out of his cage and putting him in a pillowcase, running to a nearby business where they had parked, and driving off.
Corpus Christi Police Department officers are investigating the break-in and theft, telling 3NEWS on Friday that detectives are following up on leads and reviewing the surveillance provided by the neighboring shops.
Though the window was fixed, Lozano said a large void remains until Romeo is returned.
"I feel very 'Time is of the essence' when it comes to this because Romeo requires care," he said. "Romeo requires being handled and loved, and I know the way I saw these individuals handling him as they ran across the parking lot -- I know that's not the sufficient care and love that that bird needs. So for me, I just want him back."
It wasn't the ideal way for Lozano to spend his 39th birthday, but he said the outpouring of support from other small business owners and people in Corpus Christi has been overwhelming, with more than 700 Facebook accounts sharing Feathered Friends & Co.'s post about the theft.
"It's an amazing feeling to see how many people support us, all the local businesses in this area," he said. "I'm seeing, on Instagram, how many people are sharing this. I'm seeing on people's storylines. It really is the power of people."