A man is wanted by authorities in Florida after he was caught on camera removing an endangered fish from a fishing store's aquarium before leaving, the animal writhing in its net.
A video obtained by CNN shows the man, who has not been identified, calmly leaving the store with the fish.
Local authorities are taking the matter seriously since the aquatic monster is actually an Atlantic tarpon (or Megalops atlanticus), which is a protected species in the United States.
Store employees couldn't believe their ears when customers told them what had happened.
“It didn't even occur to me that someone would stoop so low to catch a federally protected fish and potentially endanger it,” explains Chance Floyd, one of those people.
Retail customers also find it difficult to believe such an event will occur.
“I don't understand how people have the audacity to do something so selfish,” said Christy Downey, a customer of the Bass Pro Shops store where the robbery was committed.
Another customer, Jocelyn Downey, adds: “I think he's wrong because he probably didn't have an aquarium, so there's a good chance the fish died.”
Officials from the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife are working with local police in Lee County to locate the man who committed these acts.
Watch footage of the trip in the video above
