QUEENSLAND TIMES (Ipswich, Australia) 13 January 10 Snake makes slippery customer

When Trish Kelly said she wanted to attract customers to her store, this isn’t what she had in mind.

Safe City cameras spotted a snake slithering into her Mixed Spice on Brisbane store in the early hours of the morning.

For someone who “absolutely can’t stand snakes”, Ms Kelly said she had the fright of her life when she later opened the store.

“There was a note on my door that said ‘don’t open your shop before ringing the police’,” she said. “When I turned it over it said ‘there’s a snake in your shop’ – I nearly died,” she said.

A Queensland Museum spokesman said their snake experts couldn’t clearly identify the offending snake, but said it could be a brown snake or a range of non-venomous snakes.

Ms Kelly said while local snake catchers couldn’t find the offending intruder when the incident occurred last Wednesday, she wasn’t too concerned that the snake was still in her Brisbane Street store.

But just to be sure she said she always double checks the lay-bys and before going to the toilet by stamping on the ground saying “I’m here, I’m here”.

“My biggest fear in life is snakes, I wouldn’t look at a picture of them if I had the chance – I’d turn the page as soon as I could,” she said.

“It wasn’t a good way to start the day. While the snake catcher was in the store I was as far away as I could be.

“But now I’m sure it’s gone away, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think otherwise.”

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the clear footage – which allowed Safe City operators to notify police of the snake danger – was a testament to the security system’s effectiveness.

“Safe City is an excellent system and a real asset to the community.

“This is a good example of how effective Safe City can be,” Cr Pisasale said.

“Police were notified of the snake sighting and were able to warn the shop owner, which could have saved her from a dangerous situation.”
Snake makes slippery customer

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