Fugitive Marsupials Outmaneuver Police Near Dutch Town
Police Tuesday called off a search for two wallabies that have been running wild near this Dutch town for two months.
“It can’t do any harm to let them live up in the dunes,” Deputy Cmdr. J. N. Boer of the National Police said after abandoning the search. “Besides, we have better things to do.”
The wallabies are relatives of the kangaroo and are also native to Australia. They were the pets of a local resident until they hopped over his fence.
Police were concerned that the sight of two 20-inch-high wallabies hopping down the highway might cause a traffic accident. They even called in a helicopter to ferret out the marsupials.
The wallabies eluded searchers.
Police said the owner had refused to cooperate in capture attempts. Repeated telephone calls to his home were not answered.
“There’s no law against letting your pet kangaroos roam free, but he will be responsible for whatever might happen,” Boer said.
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