Live snakes were among the animals stolen from three Virginia pet stores during business hours in what Fairfax County police described as a coordinated reptile theft ring.
Pairs of suspects took animals from enclosures and used bags to carry them out of the stores, Fairfax County police said.
Here's what to know
Fairfax County police estimated the stolen animals' total value at $10,000 to $15,000. The thefts took place in May at three Petco stores in Fairfax County, where the suspects cleared out the reptile displays, according to NBC Washington.
Fairfax County Police Capt. Richard Cash described how the thefts unfolded, citing surveillance footage detectives reviewed.
"They would approach the reptile habitats, and they would disconnect the locking mechanisms for the cages. And then, on video, our detectives were able to witness them removing the animals from cages, placing them into bags that they brought to the store with them and then exiting."
The thieves did not target any other sections of the stores.
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More background
Pet stores in Prince George's, Baltimore, and Charles County were also possible targets, Fairfax County police said.
Cash said at least two snakes were worth roughly $400 each. NBC Washington reported that the stores keep geckos, bearded dragons, and snakes, including pythons, in glass aquariums.
Fairfax County police suspect the reptiles were destined for online sales or swap meets, though they have not determined what the suspects planned to do with them.
What's being done?
Police carried out a search warrant at a home in Capitol Heights, Maryland, as part of the investigation into the suspected ring, NBC Washington reported. The search turned up a handgun as well as pythons and geckos.
Police continue to search for a third alleged accomplice; two suspects have been charged in connection with the ring.
"They were definitely stealing some high-end reptiles," Cash told News4.
Where can I learn more?
The Virginia thefts are among several cases involving stolen reptiles or exotic pets found by authorities. These stories cover alleged reptile thefts, a python offered for sale online, snakes found in a car and a hospital, and exotic pets seized from a home.
• Maryland and Virginia police say a trio stole 60 reptiles from pet stores.
• In South Africa, police recovered a live python allegedly offered for sale online.
• Police in the Netherlands found two live pythons inside a car's center console.
• A patient's pet ball python got loose inside an Indiana hospital's emergency room.
• Authorities in England seized an unlicensed pet caiman and python from a suburban home.
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