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POST AND COURIER (Charleston, S Carolina) 27 July 04 Thieves creep in, steal expo critters - Rare snakes, turtles taken at fairgrounds (Steve Reeves)
Whatever descriptive term one might use for thieves who broke into the Exchange Park fairgrounds in Ladson over the weekend, "squeamish" isn't it.
Thieves stole thousands of dollars worth of exotic snakes, tortoises and turtles from the Lowcountry Reptile and Amphibian Expo sometime late Saturday or early Sunday, investigators said.
They apparently weren't intimidated by slithery and sometimes creepy specimens such as Burmese pythons, boa constrictors, salamanders, frogs and spiders. Instead, expo vendors said the burglars, who gained entry to the building through a north-side door after hours, took their time sorting through the animals to find the most rare and expensive ones of the bunch.
"Whoever stole these animals were very selective and knew what they were doing," said Alan Bosch, a reptile expert from Moncks Corner and owner of Alan Bosch Reptiles. "They took animals which would sell quickly, and they took high-end animals, which could potentially bring in big money."
Estimates on the value of the stolen reptiles and amphibians range from about $21,000 to more than $40,000.
Among the stolen critters were two tri-colored hognose snakes, valued at $350 each; two albino Burmese pythons, $300 a head; four baby western pond tortoises, $300 each; and two adult wood turtles, $225 each.
Dozens of lesser-value animals stolen, as well as jewelry worth an estimated $3,400.
Bosch lost $3,800 worth of boa constrictors, ball pythons and tortoises.
He said reptiles and amphibians are becoming increasingly popular as pets, and he wouldn't be surprised if the thieves tried to sell them on the black market.
"There's getting to be a huge market for these animals," he said. "And the more popular something becomes, the bigger the black market."
Investigators are stumped so far as to who carried out the burglary. Because only a limited number of people deal in such exotic animals, they hope the mystery soon will be solved.
"It's just not your normal theft," said Capt. Dana Valentine of the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. "The fact that it is so unusual might work in our favor. If someone turns up with all these animals, it should attract some attention."
Another bit of good news: The stolen snakes aren't considered dangerous to humans, at least not until they get much larger.
"Fortunately, none of these animals are poisonous," Valentine said. "But none of them are to be handled lightly."
George Ullman, owner of Turtle World in Arcadia, Fla., said the thieves robbed him and his wife of as many as 60 turtles, including four hatchling pancake turtles that sell for $450 each. Ullman estimated his stolen turtles were worth at least $11,000.
"I'm thinking these people knew something about turtles," Ullman said Monday. "They only picked the most pretty and expensive ones."
Ullman said he is worried about the safety of the stolen animals, especially the young turtles and tortoises, which require special handling and care.
"If they just stash them somewhere where it's hot, these animals will die in no time," he said.
Sam Seashole, a snake and amphibian expert from Moncks Corner, said word of the theft is spreading quickly among reptile breeders. "Everyone is incensed at what has occurred," he said.
Seashole is not convinced the theft was the work of black marketers. He said it merely may have been the work of small-time crooks looking to turn a quick buck.
"People with dubious character will steal anything of value," he said. "I tend to think it is people who were aware the animals were worth a few dollars."
Thieves creep in, steal expo critters - Rare snakes, turtles taken at fairgrounds

POST AND COURIER (Charleston, S Carolina) 28 July 04 4 face charges in theft of animals from expo (Steve Reeves)
Four people have been charged in connection with last weekend's theft of dozens of rare snakes and amphibians, but investigators still haven't solved the mystery of exactly what happened to the critters.
It's believed the thieves already might have sold the pythons, boa constrictors, western pond tortoises and other rare and expensive reptiles on the black market. The animals were stolen from a reptile show held over the weekend at the fairgrounds in Ladson.
Early Tuesday morning, deputies from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office arrested Shannon Payne, 23, Steven V. Baker, 24, Randall R. Byrd, 17, and Joshua M. Cabrera, 16, who is being charged as an adult.
All four are accused of stealing more than $21,000 worth of animals and more than $3,000 in jewelry.
Investigators said their break came when Byrd's stepfather found a large amount of jewelry and alerted authorities. Byrd told investigators about the other suspects, leading to their arrests. Deputies raided Payne and Baker's house early Tuesday.
Investigators have recovered some exotic animals, but it's not known if those were among the ones stolen over the weekend. The suspects reportedly have refused to say what happened to the animals.
"Our concern right now is that the stolen animals have not been recovered," said Kay Hyman, spokeswoman for the John Ancrum SPCA. "They're in danger of dying. Those kinds of animals need to be kept in the correct environment."
Among the animals stolen were albino Burmese pythons, hognose snakes, wood turtles and hatchling pancake turtles. Alan Bosch, owner of Alan Bosch Reptiles in Moncks Corner, lost about $3,000 worth of reptiles in the burglary. He's convinced the thieves have already sold the animals.
"I'll never see my animals again, sad to say," Bosch said.
Investigators claim that Baker and Payne, both of Lincolnville, offered Byrd $1,000 to break into a building at the Ladson Exchange Park. Byrd and Cabrera, both of Summerville, are accused of carrying out the burglary.
Payne and Baker each are charged with one count of grand larceny, two counts of accessory to burglary and four counts of animal neglect. Byrd and Cabrera each are charged with burglary and grand larceny. Payne and Baker also face charges of unlawful possession of a spotted turtle and unlawful possession of an American alligator skull.
In an unrelated case, Baker was shot in April by a shotgun booby trap investigators said was designed to keep people away from a pit bull breeding facility near the Rantowles-Red Top area. The land surveyor said he was surveying a tract when he heard dogs barking and went closer to investigate.
Baker was hit by 24 birdshot pellets when the booby trap went off. The owner of the property, David Tant, was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill.
Investigators said they still are trying to determine if the expo burglary was part of a larger black-market operation.
Sheriff Al Cannon said the motive was easy to discern. "It's a different kind of theft, a different kind of commodity, but the underlying theme is still the same: greed."
Robert Constantinou, an organizer of the Lowcountry Reptile and Amphibian Expo, said as exotic animals grow in popularity, thieves are increasingly targeting them.
"Exotic animals are the fastest growing animal market in the world, hands down," he said. "We take all the precautions we can to prevent thefts, but where there's a will, there's a way."
4 face charges in theft of animals from expo

THE STATE (Charleston, S Carolina) 04 August 04 Authorities recover stolen snakes, turtles
Charleston, S.C. (AP): Authorities have recovered snakes, turtles and tortoises thought to be among thousands of dollars worth of creatures stolen last month from the Lowcountry Reptile and Amphibian Expo.
Fifty-eight animals were found Monday night after Charleston County deputies received a tip they could be found in cloth bags along a frontage road off Interstate 26.
Three of the 32 turtles and 12 of the 26 snakes were dead, Charleston County sheriff's Capt. Dana Valentine said. The others were taken to a veterinarian for treatment.
"These little guys are very lucky to be in the condition they're in," said sheriff's Sgt. Harold Phillips, who describes himself as a reptile enthusiast.
The theft occurred July 24 or 25.
Authorities have arrested four people in connection with the theft and the investigation is continuing.
Authorities recover stolen snakes, turtles