Syracuse, N.Y. - A co-owner of a store where two baby swans from the Manlius swan pond were found says the store didn’t know they were swans.
The co-owner of Black Friday Bins at 139 Shop City Plaza said on Facebook Tuesday night that two of four stolen baby swans were in their store. The co-owner said the store thought the swans were ducks or geese.
Three workers at the store were fired after it was discovered they brought in two of the four stolen baby swans to the store, the co-owner said.
A mother swan and her four babies, also known as cygnets, were stolen from the Manlius swan pond, Manlius police said Tuesday. The mother swan was killed, police said. A source familiar with the investigation said the swan was eaten on Memorial Day by the family of one of the people accused of taking the swans.
Police said two baby swans were recovered at the store and two were found at a house in Syracuse.
Manlius police and state Department of Environmental Conservation officers were seen at a home on Lilac Street in Syracuse Tuesday morning. An officer there told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard the baby swans had been recovered.
The co-owner stated online that he did not know his employees stole the cygnets from the pond and were unaware that they were swans. The store was working with police and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, according to the co-owner’s post.
Eman Hussan, 18, of Syracuse was arrested in connection with the killing of Faye, the mother swan, Manlius police Sgt. Ken Hatter said Tuesday. A 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, both from Syracuse, were also arrested, he said.
It has not been confirmed if those arrested worked for Black Friday Bins.
The owner said online that the store kept the swans because the store feared taking the baby birds to a random pond or body of water. The owner said they attempted to call a sanctuary, but could not reach anyone due to it being Memorial Day weekend.
Facebook commenters accused the store of trying to sell the swans. It is unknown at this time if the store attempted to sell the cygnets.
The owner stated the store had nothing to do with the killing of the mother swan.
The co-owner of Black Friday Bins declined to comment tonight to Syracuse.com.
The cygnets are currently in the care of a biologist, who oversees the health and well-being of the swans for the village.
Staff writer Darian Stevenson covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at dstevenson@syracuse.com
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