Foul deed: Bend turkey plucked from coop

It would be an unusual sight in any town — a turkey by the road.

“Because there aren’t that many turkeys that are on the street corner,” Bend resident Allen Frickey said Thursday.

This Bend turkey was getting to be pretty popular.

“He was just turning out to be a landmark, if a turkey could be such a thing,” Frickey said.

On Tuesday, however, Bend’s beloved turkey, named Giving, was plucked from his pen.

“Clearly someone had planned to abduct the turkey,” said Sally Russell, Giving’s owner. “You can see they came with wire cutters, so this was cut all the way down and this was over the side.”

It was a well-planned coup. The thief then broke the locks on Giving’s coop and took him. The turkey’s home is locked at night to ensure his safety.

“I’m sure he was just in there jumping and saying, Okay, I can do it,'” Russell said.

The theft couldn’t have been easy, as Giving is a 20- to 25-pound bird.

“I mean, they’re big!” Russell said.

Russell said she bought Giving last year, along with his former penmate — named Thanks — who was Christmas dinner.

Giving is technically Russell’s bird, but he is so much more than that.

“I think people kind of underestimate the community ownership of certain things in our community,” said Russell, who happens to be a city councilor.

True to his namesake, Giving nested his way into the community’s heart. He would rustle his feathers and gobble at passers by.

“He was a character — he was a good character,” Russell said. “Just celebrate everything Giving gave to this neighborhood.”

Many question the motive for such foul play.

“I think he was just so cool that maybe they wanted to have it at their own house,” said resident Diane McClain.

Giving has been gone less than a week.

“I already miss it,” McClain said.

And many are still hoping for his safe return.

“Give Giving back!” McClain pleaded to the mystery turkey-napper.