TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Police arrested two men who stole sika deer fawns from a nature reserve using the typhoon as cover, but one of the animals did not survive the ordeal, reports said Saturday (July 29).

Early on July 27, as Typhoon Doksuri was lashing south Taiwan, a man entered an animal park in Kenting, Pingtung County, and tried to steal several sika deer. 

A headcount of the deer inside the park determined that two fawns were missing. On Friday (July 28), a member of the public phoned police to say he had spotted two small deer by the roadside, the Liberty Times reported.

Following media coverage of the incident, another person came forward to tell police he had paid NT$10,000 (US$320) per animal, even though the park estimated their total value at NT$400,000, per CNA.

Police said Saturday they had detained two suspects, Pan (潘), aged 39, and Chen (陳), 29. Even though the buyer voluntarily returned the animals, he will also be charged with receiving stolen property and with breaking animal welfare laws, the report said.

One of the fawns died after returning to the park, but the other one quickly recovered from the ordeal. The adult animal left behind with its legs tied had broken bones.