Authorities are investigating the disappearance of 37 peacocks from the historic Ryde Hotel in Walnut Grove. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office received reports of the missing birds on Sunday. The hotel staff suspects the peacocks were stolen after a guest saw two men placing a peacock into a cage in the back of a pickup truck, according to hotel manager David Nielsen.
The Ryde Hotel, known for its Art Deco design and location in the California Delta, has been home to these exotic birds for over a decade. The peacocks, valued at $2,000 each for males and $1,000 each for females, have become a signature feature of the hotel, often seen wandering the grounds and even inside the hotel itself.
Rafe Goorwitch, the hotel’s catering coordinator, expressed concern that the peacocks might be used for illegal activities like cockfighting or sold on the black market. “It’s possible that these peacocks are being used for cockfighting, which is horrible,” he told KCRA.
The Sheriff’s Office is treating the case as a property crime, given the high value of the birds. Sgt. Amar Gandhi explained that the investigation is being handled by the Property Crimes Bureau. “Catching a peacock is no easy feat; it’s like catching a chicken,” Gandhi told the Los Angeles Times.
In response to the theft, the hotel has installed additional surveillance cameras and is urging anyone with information to contact the authorities. The staff remains hopeful for the safe return of their beloved peacocks, which have been a cherished part of the hotel’s community.
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