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By Times staff writers
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000
PORT RICHEY -- A Coral Springs teenager who went to the Gulf View Square mall to see a movie and hang out was beaten up by three men who tried to steal the teen's pager, authorities said.
The 15-year-old was leaving the mall Monday at 8 p.m. when a man said, "nice beeper," then tried to grab the device from the teen's waistband.
According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, a second man hit the teen in the mouth with a beer bottle, causing a deep laceration to his lips. The three men ran away, and the incident is still under investigation.
PORT RICHEY -- A man tried to steal three African Congo birds worth more than $2,300 from the Exotic Pet Center on Monday, Pasco County sheriff's deputies said.
Lisa Elrod, the assistant manager of the pet store at 9316 U.S. 19, told officers that at 12:30 p.m., the man walked into the store, put three birds in a pillowcase and tried to walk out without paying.
As the birds screeched from inside the pillowcase, Elrod chased the man to the front door and grabbed the back of his shirt, officers said. The man threw the pillowcase down and ran out the door to a car, authorities said.
The birds were not injured, according to a report.