Thief Takes Century-Old Seal Teeth

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Seth Newsome’s professors at the University of California, Santa Cruz might be skeptical when he tells them he couldn’t finish the dissertation he’s scheduled to defend next month.

But the doctoral candidate in earth sciences insists this is not another case of “the dog ate my homework.” Someone broke into his friend’s car and stole the century-old seal teeth Newsome borrowed from the Smithsonian Institution for his research on the historic ecology of marine mammals.

He has been working on the project for five years.

“At this point, I’d just like them back, no questions asked,” said Newsome, 28, who said he’s willing to negotiate a reward.

His friend, Eva Krivak-Tetley, lost some teeth of her own: the fossil teeth of a sperm whale she needs to finish her senior thesis on the ecology of sperm whales. Krivak-Tetley, a marine-biology major, had the fossils on loan from Burke Museum at the University of Washington.

The pair discovered the specimens missing, along with some CDs, cash and laboratory materials, while camping at Henry W. Coe State Park in Morgan Hill.

Krivak-Tetley, 21, had been keeping the teeth in her car’s trunk while commuting between her Santa Cruz home and the Moss Landing Marine Lab. She has reported the theft to Santa Cruz police. Newsome, 28, has been checking eBay to see if the teeth show up there.

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Information from: San Jose Mercury News