WINNIPEG SUN (Manitoba) 03 January 05 Stolen snake returns home (Paul Turenne)
Ozzy's back. A rare -- and very aggressive -- snake worth $500 was returned to his former home yesterday, almost two weeks after he was stolen from a Garden City pet store.
"I'm happy. He's back, he's alive and he's healthy," said Eric Balla, manager of Pet Outfitters at 1428 McPhillips St. "Someone just opened the door and left him in the front of the store in a pillow case."
Ozzy appears to be in good health, although he seems a little stressed, he said.
Store employees found Ozzy, a 4 1/2-foot long Central American black-tailed cribo, about 11:30 a.m. yesterday between two sets of doors at the store's entrance, said Balla.
They had been busy cleaning fish tanks at the time and didn't notice who dropped off the snake, he added.
There was no note in the pillow case nor any indication of who the thief might have been, said Balla.
Whoever it was may have become sick of being bitten by the highly aggressive reptile, which only knowledgeable owners can handle properly, he said.
Although they're not poisonous, black-tailed cribos have a reputation as very aggressive snakes -- particularly around mealtimes and when they're being cared for by inexperienced owners.
The snake was swiped from the store on Dec. 22 when a man walked into the store, made a bee-line for Ozzy's tank, grabbed him and got out fast, said Balla, who described the thief as a taller white man with a puffy jacket.
Ozzy was the most expensive snake in the store.
The Sun ran a story about the caper on Christmas Eve, when Balla pleaded for Ozzy's safe return, telling the thieves he'd take him back no questions asked.
Balla still has no intention of pursuing any police investigation, he said yesterday.
Stolen snake returns home