A pet did some bird after its owner was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting.
Police weren’t sure what else to do when they realised they didn’t have a suitable cage in which to keep it.
The creature was perched on its owners shoulder when officers arrested the pair and took them to a station in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
The pet, which looks like a lovebird or ‘Agapornis’, was given some bread and water as it sat in the cell.
In a post on Utrecht Police Centre’s Instagram page, the department said: ‘During the arrest we found a sneaky witness with feathers and beak on the suspect’s shoulder.
‘We were shocked to find out that we are not in possession of a bird cell or cage.
‘After proper consultation with the suspect we have enclosed them together.’
They said the jailbird was ‘well cared for’ while it was in custody.
According to local reports, the owner, who has not been named, and the bird, have since been released.
