Tarpon swiped from Fort Myers Bass Pro Shop pond. Police looking for man, woman and a video
Authorities are searching for answers after they say a man entered a local store with a fish net and removed a live tarpon from the store's indoor fish pond.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday evening a man entered the Bass Pro Shops in Gulf Coast Town Center, 10040 Gulf Center Drive, with a fish net in hand, and removed a live tarpon from the store's indoor fish pond.
The sheriff's office said a woman and another man, who filmed the incident with a GoPro, accompanied the male suspect.
The individuals then fled the store with the tarpon, authorities said.
Detectives are working with the sheriff's office's Animal Cruelty Task Force, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers as they attempt to locate the individuals involved.
According to FWC, tarpon is a catch-and-release only fishery and is a threatened species.
The species, known as the silver king for its flashy metallic scales, is beloved in Southwest Florida, with a tournament raising fund for J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Sanibel Island each year.
The prehistoric fish is one of legends and honor. Think Tarpon Point Marina, the Tarpon Hunters Club, Tarpon Bay Beach, Tarpon Lodge and endless streets named for the fish throughout Southwest Florida and the migration route that leads around the Gulf to Louisiana.
Inventor and part-time Fort Myers resident Thomas Edison famously caught a "measly" 40-pound tarpon in 1904 after years of coming up empty in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River.
A tarpon can reach 8 feet, weigh about 300 pounds and can take two hours to bring to a boat. The one taken from Bass Pro appears far smaller.
Authorities ask that anyone with information on the Bass Pro incident or the suspect call Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000, if they lead to an arrest.
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News-Press editor Stacey Henson contributed to this report.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Man steals live tarpon with fish net from Florida Bass Pro Shop
