Police crack case of the missing bunny

• Alexa Hudek & bunnies

Alexa Hudek couldn’t be happier to have her disappearing bunny, Black & White, reunited with his companion, Buddy. Submitted photo

Talk about it

It was crunch time for River Falls Police.

On the morning of Friday, Aug. 19, a report came in that a baby bunny was stolen overnight from its outside hutch at the Josh and Anna Hudek residence in the 1300 block of Orange Street.

The stakes couldn’t be higher: The apple-sized Holland lop bunny, going by the name Black &White because of its coloring, belonged to a girl who’d just turned six. The bunny, an early birthday present for Alexa, was bought by her parents in mid-July from a petting zoo at River Falls Days.

Now Black & White was missing. Alexa, already suffering from an ear infection, was beside herself.

“This was a really big deal,” said her dad, Josh Hudek, an evening and weekend shift supervisor at Lund’s Hardware on Main Street. “Alexa wasn’t feeling well, so she was tired anyway, and now weeping and very concerned. She was praying that whoever had taken her bunny was treating him nice.”

The hutch for Black and White, and his companion, Buddy, is two feet deep, has a spring hinge and stays shut.

Josh said that on the morning in question the lid on top was found open. Buddy was still there, but not Black & White.

“At the time Black & White was the size of a teacup, so it’s unlikely he could have jumped out on his own,” Josh says. “This bunny is also the one who squirms and isn’t very good about being handled.

“It might not have been malicious. Someone might have seen him in the hutch, opened it, reached in to hold him and had him squirm and jump loose.”

On the morning he disappeared, Josh drove through the neighborhood searching for Black & White. Soon after returning home, empty handed, two things happened.

One, police arrived.

“I didn’t know they’d be sending a squad car out,” Josh said. “That surprised me. There was a uniformed officer and a plainclothes investigator. They took the matter seriously and acted professionally.”

Second, Josh’s wife, Anna, had just spotted a “black and white flash” in the neighbor’s yard. Further investigation showed it was the missing bunny named Black & White.

The fast-hopping bunny took refuge under the neighbor’s deck. Josh crawled into the tight space, flushed the bunny out and Officer Jennifer Knutson made the catch.

Case closed!

“After being out all night, its heart was racing,” Josh said. “I have to thank the police for being there to assist. I doubt if I would have been able to chase Black & White around the neighborhood and catch him.”

Knutson admitted this was a pure feel-good case if ever there was one.

“When I took the original complaint, I could hear the child in the background and she was really upset. I felt that I had to go and attempt to do something, even though at first I thought it was probably going to be hopeless.

“I wanted the girl to see that the police do care and attempt to help, even if the outcome wasn't the best. However, in this case, it turned out great.

“The father was able to push the rabbit towards me, and I crawled under the deck and grabbed ahold of it. The look on the little girl's face was priceless!

“I think it’s great that the police can have such a positive influence on a little girl. It was great to do something to help.”

Police Investigator Chuck Golden, with Knutson on the bunny rescue, said the incident puts his job in perspective.

“I was asked by a colleague once to explain why I wanted to become a police officer. I told her it was because I wanted to help people. She then asked if I really thought I was making a positive difference in their lives now, after 17 years of being a police officer.

“I said yes. This is one example -- an example of what (retired) Sgt. Brad McAbee used to profoundly call, ‘real police work,’ something I’ve always taught new officers when I trained them.

“I can tell you that catching that rabbit made a ‘real difference’ in that little girl’s life.”

Alexa’s father wouldn’t argue.

“She’s been to the River Falls Fire Department before while at daycare, but this is her first contact with our police,” Josh said. “And it turned out to be a good first contact that I’m sure left a strong, positive impression.”

Alexa, who’s starting kindergarten this fall at the Public Montessori Elementary School, wrote a thank-you note that she and her dad delivered at the police station.

Josh says that, as a precaution, he’s installed padlocks to the rabbit hutch.

Police Chief Roger Leque said the work by officers Golden and Knutson represents “personalized law enforcement.”

“Within reason, it doesn’t make a difference what the issue is, the officers in our department want to help,” he said. “A few months ago we were handling a high-risk homicide investigation. This time it’s about a stray bunny.

“The intent is to be professional and offer a personalized service for each situation so that you make, a positive difference in people’s lives.”

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