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Python Thieves Caught On Camera

“I don’t know. It’s kind of a trip you know? Who would steal a large snake, turn around and sell it?” asks Desert Pets storemanager James Madres. It’s a question he keeps asking himself. Surveillance video shows a man and a woman walking into the store and looking around for about a half an hour. When the employees weren’t looking, the man takes a pet “ball python” out of it’s cage and puts it under his jacket. Then, they both leave the store.

“They even had the nerve to ask if the cameras worked. That was kind of weird,” says Madres.

This is what a “ball python” looks like. The one that was stolen sells for almost $300, but the store workers say it’s not about the price, but about the care and well-being of the animal.

“I’m more concerned … when a pet is sold here it’s like family and it just hurts knowing he’s in god knows where, what they’re doing to him and I’m just really worried about that more than anything.”

The man is black with sideburns, about 18 to 25 years old wearing a black jacket and jeans. The woman is white with dark hair. She wore black jeans and a Deftones t-shirt. The store manager says Yucca Valley is a small town and someone is bound to know who stole the snake.

“Word will leak through. You can’t walk down the street without someone recognizing your face around here so fortunately we have that on our side. It’s just a matter of time,” says Madres.

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