Authorities are investigating a unique theft at a petrol station in Tennessee, USA, where suspects used pythons to distract the cashier. According to CCTV footage, four individuals, including a woman, entered the establishment. While the woman engaged the cashier in conversation, a man placed a ball python on the counter. As the cashier reached for his mobile phone, seemingly to document the unusual situation, the woman appeared to attempt to grab it. Another man then dangled a second python over the counter, at which point the video ends.
Watch the video here:
Bizarre Heist Caught on CCTV! A group of suspects used two live ball pythons to distract a cashier before stealing $400 worth of CBD oil from a Citgo petrol station in Madison County. The footage, shared by 731 Crime Stoppers, shows a man placing the snakes on the counter while… pic.twitter.com/kX4ubXpGGi
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It is believed the distraction was used to facilitate a theft, though the exact items stolen and the identities of the suspects remain under investigation.
According to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the men with pythons stole about $400 worth of CBD oil. Employee Mayur Raval said he and his brother were working at the store at the time, and he was afraid of the snakes.
“They were just waving them around and putting them on the counter,” Raval told WREG-TV News. “One person brought in one snake first, and then after that, he brought in another snake. One is white, and one is brown or a mix.”
Raval said the men with pythons were able to grab the CBD oil from the counter. He thinks they wanted to take more than that, but too many customers were around.
“They pulled their car up to the front of the door,” said Raval. “I think they planned to successfully come here and rob the store. The snake is a weapon, you know.”