LARNE TIMES (UK) 22 May 08 Snake is snatched
Thieves who snatched a rare snake from a Larne pet shop have been warned that they are unlikely to be able to sell it on without anyone knowing about it.
Proprietor of Reptile, Adrain McColm, said he had notified a wide circle of people in the reptile-keeping fraternity about the theft of a Pinstripe Royal Python, taken from his Main Street shop at the end of last week.
The gold-coloured snake, which has fine black markings, is one of only a few in the country and valued at around £1,500.
“People as far away as Dublin are keeping a look-out for it, so it’s unlikely someone will have it for long without anyone knowing about it,” he said.
The one-year-old snake is about a foot long and completely harmless.
When fully grown it would measure four or five feet long.
Adrian believes the snake was taken from a cabinet on the premises sometime between Wednesday, May 14 and 9am on Friday, May 16, perhaps when he was distracted by a number of customers in the shop at one time.
Anyone who has any information regarding the theft or anyone who knows of the snake’s current whereabouts is asked to contact the police at Larne. The telephone number to ring is 0845 600 8000, or contact the ‘Crimestoppers’ charity on freephone 0800 555111.
Snake is snatched