The theft of the Sesame Street character costume, worth an impressive $160,000, happened at between 4.30pm Sunday, April 18 and 9.30am Monday, April 19.
But after the incident was covered by national news outlets, the thieves returned the costume to Bonython Park in the early hours of Wednesday morning with a note left in the bird’s beak apologising to circus owners.
“We had no idea what we were doing, or what our actions would cause,” they said.
“We were just having a rough time and trying to cheer ourselfs (sic) up.”
The pair assured the circus owners they did not cause Big Bird any harm.
“Sorry to be such a big birden!” they said, as they signed off as “the Big Bird bandits”.
Two men were seen running away from the circus just before 5am.
They will appear at Adelaide Magistrates Court on June 30.
This content first appear on 9news