http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/12/Northpinellas/Fish_purchase_becomes.shtml
Fish purchase becomes an ugly tale
Published June 12, 2004
CLEARWATER - Jeremey Armstrong paid $70 for a blue spotted grouper at the Exotic Aquatics Aquarium Superstore last month, but later returned and saw the same kind of fish, only prettier.
So he wanted a trade: his fish for that fish. When he was told that wasn't possible, that it was beyond the Countryside store's 48-hour return window, he didn't give up, store employees say.
"At first he seemed price-conscious and intelligent," said customer service representative Steve Belliveau. "When he came back, he said things that alerted me to his unkind nature, such as "You don't want to upset me,' "You want to work with me,' "It's in both sides' best interests to work this out.' "
Then, on June 1, he came back again. He wandered around the store and paused in front of a 600-gallon saltwater tank filled with marine life. Something seemed odd, said store manager Craig Johnson, who was working with a colleague at a computer.
"He was just looking at us, looking back at the tank, looking at us, looking back at the tank," he said.
When employees had their backs turned, Armstrong dumped powdered chlorine into the aquarium's filtration system, Pinellas County sheriff's deputies charge. Then he left.
Within minutes, employees say, the aquarium's water was cloudy. Hundreds of delicate sea creatures - exotic coral, starfish, clams, snails, crabs and a few fish - were dead or dying. At least half died before employees even noticed the stink of bleach in the store.
"Whatever it was, it was destructive," Johnson said.
On Thursday, sheriff's deputies arrested Armstrong, 27, of Port Charlotte, and charged him with cruelty to animals. In what might be Pinellas County's first-ever animal cruelty case involving invertebrates, the damage was serious.
Johnson estimated the loss at $3,000 to $5,000. Among the 350 creatures destroyed were about 40 pieces of coral that cost from $40 to $100 each, 30 to 40 starfish that sell for $20 each and a half-dozen clams measuring a foot wide. Those sell for $100 and up.
Even the saltwater itself had value. The store at 2250 State Road 580 sells it to hobbyists for $1.20 per gallon, and 600 gallons was ruined, Johnson said.
On Friday, Armstrong, who is employed as the manager of the new Fastenal building supply store in Clearwater, was being held without bail at the Pinellas County Jail. In addition to the animal cruelty charge, he also faced a charge of violating his probation on a Sarasota County charge of credit card fraud.
While the store's owner and employees were still getting over their shock at what happened, they were gratified that Armstrong had been charged. The store's insurance may cover the loss, Belliveau said, but the business probably is looking at higher insurance premiums now, and that hurts everyone.
"I am so pleased that there was some justice for this guy," he said. "That made me so ill, that someone would do something like that and hurt everyone who was in the hobby."
- Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
[Last modified June 11, 2004, 23:45:27]
Fish purchase becomes an ugly tale
An apparent grudge turns into an animal cruelty case, with creatures in an aquarium paying the price.
By RICHARD DANIELSON
Published June 12, 2004
CLEARWATER - Jeremey Armstrong paid $70 for a blue spotted grouper at the Exotic Aquatics Aquarium Superstore last month, but later returned and saw the same kind of fish, only prettier.
So he wanted a trade: his fish for that fish. When he was told that wasn't possible, that it was beyond the Countryside store's 48-hour return window, he didn't give up, store employees say.
"At first he seemed price-conscious and intelligent," said customer service representative Steve Belliveau. "When he came back, he said things that alerted me to his unkind nature, such as "You don't want to upset me,' "You want to work with me,' "It's in both sides' best interests to work this out.' "
Then, on June 1, he came back again. He wandered around the store and paused in front of a 600-gallon saltwater tank filled with marine life. Something seemed odd, said store manager Craig Johnson, who was working with a colleague at a computer.
"He was just looking at us, looking back at the tank, looking at us, looking back at the tank," he said.
When employees had their backs turned, Armstrong dumped powdered chlorine into the aquarium's filtration system, Pinellas County sheriff's deputies charge. Then he left.
Within minutes, employees say, the aquarium's water was cloudy. Hundreds of delicate sea creatures - exotic coral, starfish, clams, snails, crabs and a few fish - were dead or dying. At least half died before employees even noticed the stink of bleach in the store.
"Whatever it was, it was destructive," Johnson said.
On Thursday, sheriff's deputies arrested Armstrong, 27, of Port Charlotte, and charged him with cruelty to animals. In what might be Pinellas County's first-ever animal cruelty case involving invertebrates, the damage was serious.
Johnson estimated the loss at $3,000 to $5,000. Among the 350 creatures destroyed were about 40 pieces of coral that cost from $40 to $100 each, 30 to 40 starfish that sell for $20 each and a half-dozen clams measuring a foot wide. Those sell for $100 and up.
Even the saltwater itself had value. The store at 2250 State Road 580 sells it to hobbyists for $1.20 per gallon, and 600 gallons was ruined, Johnson said.
On Friday, Armstrong, who is employed as the manager of the new Fastenal building supply store in Clearwater, was being held without bail at the Pinellas County Jail. In addition to the animal cruelty charge, he also faced a charge of violating his probation on a Sarasota County charge of credit card fraud.
While the store's owner and employees were still getting over their shock at what happened, they were gratified that Armstrong had been charged. The store's insurance may cover the loss, Belliveau said, but the business probably is looking at higher insurance premiums now, and that hurts everyone.
"I am so pleased that there was some justice for this guy," he said. "That made me so ill, that someone would do something like that and hurt everyone who was in the hobby."
- Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
[Last modified June 11, 2004, 23:45:27]
