Thieves kidnap puppets used in 'Big Blue House'
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
Call it the Bear and the Big Blue Heist.
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| Bear in the Big Blue House with Tutter the mouse and Pip and Pop the otters. The three small puppets were stolen Sunday. |
On Sunday, thieves broke into cars at the Park Shore Hotel at 2586 Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki and stole hand puppets used in "Bear in the Big Blue House" being performed at the Hawai'i Theatre this month.
The owners of the three puppets, valued at $12,000, are making a plea for their return. They were created by Jim Henson Productions, known for creating the Muppets.
Stolen were two purple otter puppets named Pip and Pop, and a blue mouse named Tutter, whose surprise first birthday is celebrated in the production, said Brooke Horejsi, company manager for Bear in the Big Blue House.
"If anyone has seen them or knows where they are, we just want them back," Horejsi said, adding that the puppets have no resale value.
Fortunately, extra puppets were scheduled to be flown into Honolulu. The show opened Nov. 1 and will end with shows tomorrow through Sunday.
"The suspects in this case probably didn't realize they were stealing children's puppets in a black duffel bag," said HPD Detective Letha DeCaires. "They may want to make arrangements to return them as soon as possible."
"Bear in the Big Blue House Live" is a 70-minute, multimillion-dollar, theatrical production starring characters from the popular children's TV show on the Disney Channel. The show stars a lovable, cha-cha-cha dancing bear and his friends. Besides Tutter and Pip and Pop, characters include Ojo, the lovable girl bear, and Treelo, a lemur.
