'Big Bird Bandits' Spared Jail Over Sesame Street Costume Theft

The trio who stole a rare Big Bird costume have been spared jail time and instead are being handed good behaviour bonds.

Cody Milne, Tasman Binder and Amelia Hurt, who dubbed themselves the 'Big Bird Bandits', stole the $137,000 costume from the Sesame Street Circus Spectacular in Adelaide last year.

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Pleading guilty to the brazen theft, the trio returned the costume within days of its pilfer, with a note of apology in the birds beak.

We were just having a rough time and were trying to cheer ourselves up," they wrote.

"We had a great time with Mr Bird. He's a great guy and no harm came to our friend.

"Sorry to be such a big birden (sic)," they wrote."Sincerely, the Big Bird Bandits."

The court heard the Bandits were on their way home after picking up a subwoofer speaker from Facebook Marketplace when they drove past the circus.

With youthful enthusiasm, the men made their way inside the tent and upon seeing Big Bird hanging up, thought it would be “funny” to take the costume with them.

Hurt became involved when she picked up Big Bird’s legs to adjust them into the boot of the car, the court was told.

Deeming the offence as a "foolish and immature prank" Magistrate Briony Kennewell said the theft was on the lower end of the scale and has ordered the group to each enter a $500 good behaviour bond for two years, with the two men to complete community service.

Magistrate Kennewell said the offenders, who are all aged in their twenties, took the costume without knowing its value, and returned it with minor damage.

"You now realise that the conduct was not a joke," she told the court.

"You are all young people with promising futures."

“I urge you all to make the most of the opportunity you’ve been given,” Ms Kennewell said.

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