A pet parrot has disappeared from Ponsonby, sparking a mass mailout - and an unpleasant twist.
Roly the parrot flew the coop last week, leaving his owner distraught, and now, needing police help.
Rebecca Kasper was taking her beloved Alexandrian parrot to the bird-sitters so she could get out of
Auckland for a couple of days, when he flew off.
"He was on my shoulder and then, just one foot away from the car, he flew off."
Kasper, 25, has plastered posters of Roly around Ponsonby appealing for information.
But at 1.30am on Thursday she received a text.
"Found ya parrot becky. If you ever want to see young roly again bring $250 to Myers park at 8pm Thursday," the message said.
Kasper says: "It was just creepy. I'm pretty sure it was no one I know."
She went to the police, who called the number.
"I was pretty disappointed, they just asked the person on the other end if they had taken the parrot or if they had sent the text message.
"Of course they said no. I left the station in tears."
Kasper said the message could just be a hoax. She didn't go to the 8pm rendezvous at the notorious downtown Auckland park on New Year's Eve and has not heard anything back.
"It's extortion. Whether it is a hoax or not, it's illegal. Even without the ransom part it's all a bit creepy."
Roly is just over a year old and could talk, said Kasper.
"'What's in there', 'What's going on'. He has his favourite lines ... he pulls them out one after the other.
"He is awesome."
Inspector Willy Taylor from Auckland Central Police advised anyone in a similar situation to report the matter to the police.
"Just don't go to the meeting place alone," he said.
"It could be a hoax or real - either way you are putting yourself in danger."
