Summary:
A pigeon stolen from a Dusseldorf aviary is a 'stupid thief', police say.

Full article:
An awarding winning homing pigeon used for  breeding and worth a staggering £120,000 has been stolen from an aviary. The owner of the pigeon, which is named AS 969, has now offered an £8,000 reward for the successful recovery of their beloved money spinner. Police claim the theft was either an inside job or carried out by pigeon 'connoisseurs' after they identified the bird as the most valuable in an aviary full of other homing pigeons in Germany. Homing pigeons, such as the one pictured, have been used for centuries to carry messages across long distances. File image used . Dusseldorf police said the 6-year-old male bird was stolen at some point on Saturday night from the locked aviary, located in the city's suburbs. A police spokesperson told The Local Germany that to untrained eyes it looked like any other pigeon, but it had 'good genes' that would be obvious to a homing pigeon breeder. It had won several prizes and its offspring raced in South Africa, they added. Homing pigeons have been used to carry messages over long distances for centuries. They have been utilized by the military, news agencies and governments, and were responsible for the very first air mail services.