Snake burglary confuses Australian police. And everyone else
A reticulated python is suspected to have killed a man in Japan after he was found dead with bite marks on his head and arms next to the 21-foot long snake on April 14, 2012.
Police initially set about investigating a burglary at a charity shop in Cairns, Australia, with a human suspect in mind.
The culprit, however, turned out to be somebody — rather something — nobody had expected: a giant 19-foot python with a head the size of a small dog.
Turns out that snakes can not only now open doors now (see video); they can also break and enter.
The only clue left behind by the snake was a puddle of vomit. Unfortunately, it seems snakes can't stomach a life of crime.
Police believe that the python likely found access to the store via the roof (snakes can now climb buildings) and entered through a hole.
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The animal then fell from the ceiling, landing on the floor, breaking some crockery on its way down. The shocked snake promptly vomited either because of the blow it sustained or fear.
"We thought a person had fallen through the ceiling because the roof panel was cut in half," local police Sgt. Don Auld told the Associated Press.
"When they've hit the floor, they've vomited and then staggered and fallen over. That's what we thought anyway."
The 37-pound snake was later captured by police. It is unclear if it will stand trial. Some reports suggest that it was set free in nearby wetlands.
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