Howard, the giant African spurred tortoise, is back home.

Colorado Springs police announced Friday that the gym tote-sized store greeter and mascot of Scales ‘N Tales on North Academy Boulevard had been located and returned to his owners Thursday night, about a day after he was stolen from his open-air habitat outside the store.

Working off surveillance footage and tips from community members citizen-sleuthing the crime on social media, investigators from multiple units collaborated and were able to tie the suspect in the Wednesday evening tortoise-napping to a number of other retail thefts throughout Colorado Springs.

At about 5 p.m. Thursday, a Colorado Springs Police Department Tactical Enforcement Unit located a vehicle associated with a prior felony theft on Sinton Road. An occupant of that vehicle provided “information on the suspect’s whereabouts,” according to a police blotter entry.

Metro Retail Theft and Burglary Detectives then contacted the suspect — identified as 37‑year‑old Justin Edwards — and two other people suspected of involvement in other theft cases.

“Detectives then developed information indicating that Howard had been left at an apartment in the 1000 block of Verde Drive,” according to police.

“Detective N. Holloway responded to the location and successfully recovered Howard … (who) was transported by detectives and reunited with his family and staff of Scales and Tails on June 18, 2026, at approximately 8:30 p.m.”

Edwards was taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center. He is expected to face charges of felony theft and animal cruelty.

Store owner Ronald Bohnert said he received a call around 8 p.m. Thursday from detectives, who told him they’d apprehended Howard’s suspected thief but that the 40-pound, 20-year-old tortoise was not in his possession at the time. The suspect, Bohnert said he was told, claimed he didn’t know where Howard was.

“They said, ‘He’s not telling us where the tort’s at, but we’re going to check another address,’” Bohnert said. “I think they went to that very last resort address they had for this man, and sure enough that’s where he was.”

A member of the world’s third-largest tortoise species, known to dinosaur-out at more than 150 pounds and enjoy life spans surpassing the century mark, Howard ultimately was found in a room at that address, snuggled under a blanket.

“I don’t know if they were trying to hide him or make him sleep, because he moves around a lot when the sun’s out,” Bohnert said.

When officers returned Howard to his familiar stomping grounds at the shop, Bohnert said it was clear the resident tort knew he was home — and that he’d been through an exhaustive ordeal.

“They brought him in, he walked right up to the front door to go back in … did a couple laps around the store right away, ate some food, and went to bed,” Bohnert said.

As soon as the good news made the rounds, Scales ‘N Tails regulars — and strangers from near and far — turned out to welcome Howard back.

“A lot of people are visiting him and showing their love to him today,” Bohnert said early Friday afternoon, “and we’ve got a bunch of treats for people to hand-feed him and interact with him. The outpouring from the community was pretty amazing.”

He credits that attention, attachment and the dedicated work of Colorado Springs police and detectives for the happy ending to a story that easily could have gone south.

“It was huge. That guy probably couldn’t even walk around the city without somebody noticing him and recognizing him off social media,” Bohnert said, of a theft he said he believes was a random crime of opportunity, a “once-in-15-years kind of thing.”

Even so, Scales ‘N Tales is rethinking and revamping its approach to Howard’s much-needed outside habitat time, with a focus on eyes-on security for their beloved, and most famous, staff member.

“I don’t think Howard belongs to just me at this point,” Bohnert said. “He belongs to the community.”