OSTERBOTTEN, Finland, June 9 (UPI) -- Finnish customs officials seized about 10,000 rare bird eggs that are possibly related to a string of thefts stretching across Scandinavia, officials say.
Officers seized the eggs, as well as 300 dead birds, some of which were stuffed and some frozen, from a man at his residence in central Finland, the Swedish news agency TT reported Saturday.
Most of the eggs seized were from endangered species and many were worth a lot of money to rare egg collectors.
Police said the eggs may be linked to a string of rare bird thefts in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland.
"We suspect that this has occurred in Sweden too," said Lars Lundman of the Norrbotten police in northern Sweden.
A Swedish police investigation into the thefts centers on three suspected egg thieves operating in different parts of the country, the news agency said.
One of the three is also suspected of illegally purchasing, selling or exchanging eggs.
