Pigeon fancier offers £20,000 reward after crooks nab 20 prize birds worth up to £150,000

Mark Gilbert, 54, was devastated after becoming victim to Britain’s biggest bird burglary. The crooks nabbed 20 of his pigeons before making a quick getaway.

Yesterday Mark offered a £20,000 reward for a tip that would lead to their safe return. A source told The Sun: “Such a large amount of those kind of birds is worth a small fortune — you’re looking at £150,000 easily. Previously it’s been foreign gangs that have been blamed for thefts, but it could be anybody.”

Mark, of Winkfield, Berks, was unavailable for comment yesterday but he wrote on Facebook: “Just came back from a lovely weekend to find 20 of my best stock pigeons stolen. I am devastated and offering a £20,000 reward for their return.”

Pigeons are worth big money in the world of racing. A Belgian bird called Bolt was snapped up by a Chinese businessman in 2013 for a then world record £240,000.

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