Updates story posted at 8:32 a.m.

NORTHAMPTON -- A rooster, found inside the cab of a pickup truck used in a break-in to a Damon Road convenience store early Sunday is owned by one of the suspects, police said.

Capt. John Cartledge had no definitive information as to why the suspect brought the bird along for the ride when he and another male apparently broke into Mocks convenience store shortly before 3:45 a.m.

"The rooster was just there," he said. "It was one of the individuals' pets."

Witnesses called police after seeing the two suspects, who pulled up to the back of the building at 100 Damon Road, loading items into the truck, Cartledge said.

The witnesses, who gave a description of the pickup to police, made no mention of a rooster being present, Cartledge said. "I think the rooster was in (the truck)," he said.

Police, searching the area, spotted the pickup near the Pride station on King Street and pulled it over. They found the rooster up front with the suspects and the stolen merchandise, cases of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, in the rear, Cartledge said.

Police arrested the pair and took the rooster into custody for safe-keeping.

For a time, police kept the rooster in a small crate in the roll-call room at headquarters where it participated - quite lustily -- in roll call and other change-of-shift operations, Cartledge said.

"It was just doing the normal 'cock-a-doodle-doo,'" he said. "Every few minutes it would just set loose."

The suspects face charges of breaking and entering in the nighttime and other charges. Cartledge identified one of the suspects as Gunner Anderson-Keener, 18, of 109 Middle St, Hadley.

The second suspect is a 17-year-old male, he said.

It's not clear from the police reports which of the two suspects owns the rooster, Cartledge said. The bird has, however, been safely returned to its Hadley home.