Police in Duncanville are asking for the public's help in locating "Max," a rare parrot and beloved pet stolen from a local store.

Someone broke into the Pet Village in the 200 block of North Main Street and took Max on Tuesday morning, police said.

Stephanie Roberts, the store's owner, said she and her customers have shared a remarkable friendship with Max, a 28-year-old blue and gold macaw who serves as the store's greeter and all-around wise-cracker. She and her husband, Chris, consider Max part of the family.

"We don't have any children. Max is it," Ms. Roberts said. "I don't look at this as a burglary. I look at it as a kidnapping."

A dark surveillance video shows a violent scene: Two people approached Max's cage. One of them bashed it repeatedly with an object and worked his way inside, grabbing Max.

After a few tries, the duo appeared to wrap something around the bird before they fled the shop.

"You can tell they hurt him," Ms. Roberts said. "There are feathers all the way from his cage to the door."

Ms. Roberts said the thieves went straight for Max and never bothered to look at the cash register during the robbery.

Duncanville police Officer Doug Sisk said he believes his department has never had a case like this.

Max has spent his entire life in the store, saying "hello" when customers arrive and "goodbye" when they leave. Often, when Ms. Roberts would be in the midst of work, she would hear Max call out, "Work-work-work."

The family is offering a $1,000 no-questions-asked reward for the return of Max. If you have any information, call Duncanville police at 972-780-5037.

Staff writer Scott Goldstein contributed to this report.