Thief makes off with 106 sea turtle eggs

FLAGLER BEACH, Fla., July 30 (UPI) -- A total of 106 sea turtle eggs were stolen from a nest in Flagler Beach, Fla., where two other nests were tampered with, officials say.

"This turtle nest (was) violated by someone. It's been dug in. We've lost 106 eggs," Turtle Patrol Volunteer Rosa Panos said.

Marks left behind at the site of the nest may have been made by a travel cooler used to transport the eggs, WESH-TV, Orlando, Fla., reported Tuesday.

"These were one week old, so the nest right beside them is due to hatch any day so they would have had either hatchlings or pretty freshly laid eggs," Panos said.

WESH said it is against the law to tamper with sea turtle eggs and anyone caught stealing them could be sentenced to jail.