Thief steals 36 snakes valued at $30,000

GASTONIA (AP) — Why did it have to be snakes?

Police in Gastonia say someone has stolen three dozen snakes from a reptile store.

Police say someone broke the glass on the front door of Reptile Passions and took the snakes early Sunday.

Owner Jonathan McMillan says motion-activated surveillance cameras caught the suspect, who at one point said into a cellphone that the store had pythons. Most of the stolen snakes were albino pythons and ball pythons. One of the snakes was valued at $12,000. The total loss is estimated at $30,000.

McMillan said the thief knew exactly where to go to grab the snakes and toss them all in one bag.

Another dealer said it’s likely the thief will try to sell the snakes on the Internet.