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Dinosaur replica stolen from NC science museum

State Capitol Police asked Wednesday for the public's help in identifying two people who took a replica of a baby dinosaur from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh on Monday.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — State Capitol Police asked Wednesday for the public’s help in identifying two people who took a replica of a baby dinosaur from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh on Monday.

The young couple passed through the Prehistoric North Carolina exhibit while other visitors were in the area, returning minutes later when nobody was nearby, authorities said. A museum security video shows the man jumping over the exhibit barrier, picking up the dinosaur casting and climbing out before putting it in a large multi-colored purse carried by his female accomplice.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, has light brown hair and is about 5 feet 7 inches tall. He was wearing a dark gray T-shirt, white shorts with gray or green stripes and black and white sneakers. The woman, also believed to be in her 20s, has brown hair, is about 5 feet 6 inches tall and was wearing a pink shirt, blue shorts and ankle-high boots.

The stolen polymer resin model of an Edmontosaurus (duck-billed) hatchling is about 12 to 14 inches long and worth about $10,000, authorities said.

The two are also suspects in a similar offense the same day at the neighboring North Carolina Museum of History, authorities said. The stolen property in that case was valued at less than $1,000.

Anyone with information on the two thieves is asked to call the State Capitol Police at 919-733-3333.

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