CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : ESCONDIDO : ‘Baretta’ Cockatoo Safe After Theft

Less than 48 hours after his abduction from the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Fred, the sidekick cockatoo of the 1970s television series “Baretta,” was found walking in the middle of a road near the park, police said. The feathered star was rescued about 8 a.m. Thursday by two television cable employees, one a fan of the former cop show, as they were driving to an assignment. After nibbling on a sandwich from the lunch box of one of his rescuers, Fred was safely returned to the park. The 30-year-old bird was taken from a holding cage in the rear area of the park’s bird show theater sometime between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, when the theft was discovered.