US man charged over 299 rare bird skins stolen in Tring

Most of the stolen birds have been recovered

A 22-year-old US citizen has been charged over the theft of 299 rare bird skins from the Natural History Museum at Tring in Hertfordshire.

The brightly-coloured stuffed birds were stolen from a collections area of the Akeman Street museum - which belongs to the better-known London museum - on 24 June last year.

The man has been charged with burglary and money-laundering offences.

He will appear at Hemel Hempstead Magistrates' Court on 26 November.

Police said they had recovered the majority of the bird skins.