By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 08:25 EST, 25 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:31 EST, 25 March 2013 . Drunk: 18-year-old Steff was arrested after police matched his DNA to that found on a can of Fosters left in the enclosure . A teenager stole an endangered tortoise worth £2,000 from a safari park and sold it on Facebook - for a paltry £30. Adam Steff took Flo, a 4.5lb juvenile Aldabra giant tortoise, from Woburn Safari Park in Milton Keynes after he wandered into her enclosure while drunk. The 18-year-old originally tried to sell Flo for what she was worth, then accepted an offer of just £30 for the tortoise - a specimen of one of the world's rarest species. Police arrested Steff, a bricklaying student, after matching his DNA to saliva on a beer can left at the scene. Steff, . of Flitton, Bedfordshire, has sold the tortoise to 19-year-old Aiden . Mckinstery, Bedford Magistrates Court heard last week. McKinstery . later posted a picture of it on Facebook asking for name suggestions . for his new pet which was spotted by a member of Woburn staff who . realised it was helpless Flo. He . claimed he didn't know the reptile was stolen after Steff had turned up . at his house with her in the early hours of the morning on January 5. Prosecuting, Camille Gifford said: 'It was only the fact that she was promptly recovered that she's back to being fit and well. 'The . keeper said that when she was returned Flo was a muddy brown colour . when she is normally beige. She would have died if she hadn't have been . returned and that would have been devastating for the park. 'She's . from the Seychelles and they only have five of the kind at Woburn with . Flo being the only female and they are hoping to breed the species.' The court heard Flo was recovered following a DNA match on a can of Fosters left in the enclosure. Steff had been drinking on the evening of January 4 when he ventured into the animal park, the court heard. Anna Jumnoodoo, defending Steff, said: 'He decided to go out for a walk and was able to walk into the safari park. 'Once inside he stole the tortoise. 'He's very sorry for his actions especially as he found out she had been unwell.' Steff had no idea of the value of Flo, she told the court. Steff initially denied the offence . when he was interviewed by police. He later admitted burglary of a . non-dwelling and was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. He was also given a curfew from 7pm to 7am, to last two months. Magistrates . told him: 'It's a serious matter and from what we have heard you were . very fortunate there were not more serious consequences. 'It was a very stupid thing to do wasn't it and you have had time to reflect on the matter.' In addition to the unpaid work and curfew, Steff was ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge. Rescued: Flo the 4.5lb Aldabra giant tortoise worth £2,000 who was stolen by Adam Steff from Woburn Safari Park then sold for just £30. She has now been returned to her enclosure at the park . The Aldabra tortoise is becoming more popular in the pet trade, although in some countries they require a permit. Their price makes them an exclusive animal. Woburn Safari Park is home to five Aldabra giant tortoises, living in their own specially designed exhibit in the Animal Encounters section of the park. Flo, the only female at the park, is also the smallest. The largest of the group, four-year-old Albert, weighs almost 14kg. When he reaches adulthood, he will weigh a whopping 250kg, nearly 40st. Animal Encounters keeper Lianne Hyslop said: 'Despite her size, Flo makes up for it in personality. 'If you can spot her standing tall with her neck outstretched, that's a sign she's waiting for a tickle.' This breed of tortoise is normally found on the islands of the Western Indian Ocean and, contrary to popular belief, tortoises are not slow or sluggish reptiles; they can in fact move quite quickly. Aldabra tortoises are classed as 'vulnerable' in the wild. This means their numbers are in decline due to habitat loss, hunting and also from predatory species introduced into their habitats, such as dogs and rats. The tortoises at Woburn Safari Park will be part of a significant captive breeding programme, which will help secure the future of the species.
Adam Steff arrested after his DNA was found on a can of Fosters left behind .
The 18-year-old sold it to a friend who posted a picture on Facebook .
That was spotted by safari park worker who recognised the missing reptile .
By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 08:25 EST, 25 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:31 EST, 25 March 2013 . Drunk: 18-year-old Steff was arrested after police matched his DNA to that found on a can of Fosters left in the enclosure . A teenager stole an endangered tortoise worth £2,000 from a safari park and sold it on Facebook - for a paltry £30. Adam Steff took Flo, a 4.5lb juvenile Aldabra giant tortoise, from Woburn Safari Park in Milton Keynes after he wandered into her enclosure while drunk. The 18-year-old originally tried to sell Flo for what she was worth, then accepted an offer of just £30 for the tortoise - a specimen of one of the world's rarest species. Police arrested Steff, a bricklaying student, after matching his DNA to saliva on a beer can left at the scene. Steff, . of Flitton, Bedfordshire, has sold the tortoise to 19-year-old Aiden . Mckinstery, Bedford Magistrates Court heard last week. McKinstery . later posted a picture of it on Facebook asking for name suggestions . for his new pet which was spotted by a member of Woburn staff who . realised it was helpless Flo. He . claimed he didn't know the reptile was stolen after Steff had turned up . at his house with her in the early hours of the morning on January 5. Prosecuting, Camille Gifford said: 'It was only the fact that she was promptly recovered that she's back to being fit and well. 'The . keeper said that when she was returned Flo was a muddy brown colour . when she is normally beige. She would have died if she hadn't have been . returned and that would have been devastating for the park. 'She's . from the Seychelles and they only have five of the kind at Woburn with . Flo being the only female and they are hoping to breed the species.' The court heard Flo was recovered following a DNA match on a can of Fosters left in the enclosure. Steff had been drinking on the evening of January 4 when he ventured into the animal park, the court heard. Anna Jumnoodoo, defending Steff, said: 'He decided to go out for a walk and was able to walk into the safari park. 'Once inside he stole the tortoise. 'He's very sorry for his actions especially as he found out she had been unwell.' Steff had no idea of the value of Flo, she told the court. Steff initially denied the offence . when he was interviewed by police. He later admitted burglary of a . non-dwelling and was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. He was also given a curfew from 7pm to 7am, to last two months. Magistrates . told him: 'It's a serious matter and from what we have heard you were . very fortunate there were not more serious consequences. 'It was a very stupid thing to do wasn't it and you have had time to reflect on the matter.' In addition to the unpaid work and curfew, Steff was ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge. Rescued: Flo the 4.5lb Aldabra giant tortoise worth £2,000 who was stolen by Adam Steff from Woburn Safari Park then sold for just £30. She has now been returned to her enclosure at the park . The Aldabra tortoise is becoming more popular in the pet trade, although in some countries they require a permit. Their price makes them an exclusive animal. Woburn Safari Park is home to five Aldabra giant tortoises, living in their own specially designed exhibit in the Animal Encounters section of the park. Flo, the only female at the park, is also the smallest. The largest of the group, four-year-old Albert, weighs almost 14kg. When he reaches adulthood, he will weigh a whopping 250kg, nearly 40st. Animal Encounters keeper Lianne Hyslop said: 'Despite her size, Flo makes up for it in personality. 'If you can spot her standing tall with her neck outstretched, that's a sign she's waiting for a tickle.' This breed of tortoise is normally found on the islands of the Western Indian Ocean and, contrary to popular belief, tortoises are not slow or sluggish reptiles; they can in fact move quite quickly. Aldabra tortoises are classed as 'vulnerable' in the wild. This means their numbers are in decline due to habitat loss, hunting and also from predatory species introduced into their habitats, such as dogs and rats. The tortoises at Woburn Safari Park will be part of a significant captive breeding programme, which will help secure the future of the species.
2013 . Drunk: 18-year-old Steff was arrested after police matched his DNA to that found on a can of Fosters left in the enclosure . A teenager safari park and sold it on Facebook - for a later posted a picture of it on Facebook asking spotted by a member of Woburn staff who .