Fairfax County police are investigating the theft of around 400 koi fish from a Herndon-area business park pond by two men posing as maintenance workers.
The thefts occurred on four occasions between June 8 and June 16. Employees became suspicious and called police Tuesday when they realized that the men had not been hired by the pond owners. The men, who were white and appeared to be in their 50s, said they were monitoring the health of the fish and removing unhealthy ones.
Fully grown imported koi fish can cost up to several thousand dollars.
Once police heard the report, they worked with the company to determine that the men were not maintenance workers hired to care for the pond, Fairfax police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said.
Ms. Caldwell said the report is the first that Fairfax police have received regarding the theft of koi fish, although other koi thefts in the county might have gone unreported.
Police are looking for the suspects. One suspect was overweight and about 5 feet 5 inches tall.
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