Louisville Metro Police say a Louisville man stole a snake -- specifically an $800 albino python.

25-year-old Nicholas Shane Hooten was charged with theft by unlawful taking after police say he visited Pet Palace in the 2200 block of Goldsmith Lane and smuggled the snake out the door.

Fox41.com spoke with Jay Hockersmith, the store's owner, by phone Wednesday morning.

Hockersmith said Hooten, along with two others, entered the store and began having animated discussions with the staff about snakes.

"They occupied my clerks for quite a while going to cage, after cage, after cage, handling things," Hockersmith said.

At one point, according to Hockersmith, two of the customers began to distract the clerks while Hooten began trying to break open the snake cases. His first attempt succeeded only in jamming the lock.

"They couldn't get that snake so they moved to the next case and was able to get it open," Hockersmith told Fox41.com. "They pulled out a little $800 albino ball python -- just an exquisite little snake."

Hockersmith said the snake, "went right into a pocket and out the door they went."

He said a clerk noticed the theft immediately and "literally was chasing them out of the parking lot." The trio got away, but Hockersmith said he was able to get a license plate number. He said he called 911, then made a call to the owner of Exotic Reef & Pets, a pet store on Preston Highway that also sells reptiles.

"Each of us knows that when the other one gets ripped off, probably the perpetrator is going to be in the other one's store shortly," Hockersmith explained. "Sure enough, they were in his store right then."

Hockersmith said the store owner was able to get Hooten's name and address. Within a few weeks, police showed up on his doorstep, demanding the snake.

"His girlfriend asked them, 'Well, which snake do they want?' Little bit of a telling statement," Hockersmith told Fox41.com.

The snake was returned and Hooten was arrested without incident.

For his part, Hockersmith said he's glad to have his snake back.

"It's an expensive little animal," he said.
www.fox41.com/Global/story.asp?S=13477620

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