Wimbledon 2012: Game, set and snatched, as Wimbledon hawk is stolen
RUFUS the high-flying star of Wimbledon has been kidnapped.
The Harris’s Hawk may have been stolen to order during his annual appearance at the tennis championships.
The four-year-old bird of prey patrols the complex to frighten away pigeons.
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Rufus has his own identity pass and holds the official title of “bird scarer”.
However, his high profile could have made him a target for specialist bird thieves.
He was stolen with his cage from a car parked overnight on a drive in South-west London last week.
Owner Wayne Davis, 49, said: “Rufus has been with me since he was a few weeks old. We’ve developed a strong bond of trust.
Rufus has been with me since he was a few weeks old. We’ve developed a strong bond of trust. He understands exactly what’s required for Wimbledon duty
“He understands exactly what’s required for Wimbledon duty.”