Four Lithuanian nationals have been arrested in connection with the theft of racing pigeons worth €300,000 from a Frisian village in November 2021, local broadcaster Omroep Friesland said on Thursday.

Three of the men were arrested in Lithuania and extradited to the Netherlands. The fourth was picked up in Zeeland.

The car used by the thieves to make off with around 100 birds from the village of Steggereda was caught on camera and police were eventually able to trace the identities of the men sitting inside.

The birds were not recovered but police say they were taken to Germany almost immediately.

The pigeons were owned by two brothers who had been breeding them since 2006.