Many of us have had UPS/FedEx/Post deliveries stolen from our residences, but these crimes usually don’t end up with the murder of innocent animals.

Meet Eric Haynes and Steve Zuniga.  On January 6, 2015, these two residents of Poplar Bluff, Missouri nabbed a FedEx Express delivery off their neighbor’s doorsteps.  But instead of finding sellable valuables like electronics or jewelry inside, the package contained live tropical fishes valued at $296.06.

All this was caught on surveillance video camera (KFVS12 News reel is shared below).  When police confronted Haynes and Zuniga, the latter admitted stealing the package … and flushing the fishes down the toilet!  Even criminals can have the decency to put the bagged fish back into the box and return them to their rightful owners 50 feet away, but that’s apparently asking too much of these two.

The police charged the pair with stealing animals and tampering with evidence (ie flushing live fish down the toilet).  We’re surprised they weren’t also charged with animal cruelty.

Lesson of the day: Don’t ship live fish to an unattended address because idiots like these exist.

[via KFVS12 News]