In one of the most bizarre arrests to go viral in recent days, a man in Washington state was apprehended by police for allegedly stealing his ex-girlfriend’s pet chicken—then fleeing into the woods with it.
The strange saga unfolded when the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a woman claiming her ex-boyfriend had broken into her home and taken her pet chicken, Polly. She told deputies the man bolted from her property shouting, “I’ve got Polly,” before disappearing into nearby woods.
Deputies quickly launched a search in the forest near a main road. Bodycam footage released by the sheriff’s office shows officers weaving through thick underbrush in pursuit. They eventually found the man huddled in the woods, sobbing and clutching the chicken.
WATCH THE VIRAL VIDEO:
On Patrol
Deputies recover an abducted chicken. pic.twitter.com/t7Z5ado8ag— Kitsap Sheriff (@KitsapCoSheriff) April 1, 2025
“Don’t hurt my chicken,” the man begged officers. One deputy calmly replied, “That’s fine. Just hold your chicken. I am not gonna hurt your chicken.” Officers then coaxed him out of hiding and allowed him to gently place Polly into a patrol vehicle before making the arrest.
The suspect is now facing charges of burglary and violating a protection order. The Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that Polly the chicken was unharmed and safely returned to her rightful owner.
The story—and especially the arrest video—quickly took off online. The sheriff’s department shared the clip on X (formerly Twitter), with the caption: “On Patrol. Deputies recover an abducted chicken.”
Social media users had a field day. “Clearly this guy ran afoul of the law,” one person joked. Another quipped, “It didn’t even get the chance to cross the road.”
One commenter wrote, “So this was over a breakup? Please tell me they don’t have kids together…. Could you imagine those ‘daddy issues’… ‘my dad fought for custody of the chicken but didn’t want us.’”
Though the story sparked laughter, authorities reminded the public that breaking protection orders and committing burglary are serious offenses—even when poultry is involved.
