Snake Theft Caught On Camera In Long Island Store

WEST ISLIP, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- On Long Island, a brazen thief pocketed an expensive snake while posing as a customer inside a reptile store.

The clerk was distracted from seeing the theft, but the crime was captured on camera, CBS2's Jessica Layton reported.

Surveillance video shows the man looking around to see if anyone is watching him before opening a drawer containing a foot-long snake.

It happened before closing on Friday night inside Repxotica in West Islip as the clerk on duty was cleaning up.

"I was throwing out trash in the back, he came in and within those few moments he took the snake," clerk Rich Shannon said.

The suspect placed the snake inside his jacket pocket and tried to walk out, Layton reported. Video shows the suspect briefly talking to the clerk before leaving with the snake, which was worth $500.

"It's a ball python, it comes from Africa, it's a different genetic morph that's worth a little bit more money," Shannon said.

Whether the python pilferer realized it or not, surveillance cameras were rolling.

Security expert Ken Vaughan installed the cameras.

"They don't understand they're being videotaped pretty much everywhere they go, to have somebody blatantly just steal something like this is ignorant," Vaughan said.

The Suffolk County business has been open for five years appealing to reptile lovers, who tell CBS2 the real snake was caught on camera.

"Those of us who love our reptiles, it's kind of disappointing to see somebody do that and take an animal like that," customer Mark Soucy said.

Store clerks say the culprit frequently comes in to buy snake food. They don't know his name, but point to the words inscribed on a sweatshirt he wore below his jacket that may help unmask him. It reads "My Son Graduated From The USMC," or U.S. Marine Corps.

"The first thing he should do is come back to the shop, apologize, return the animal and pray he doesn't get prosecuted," Vaughan said.

For now, the man's image is plastered on the shop's front window in hopes someone can identify him.

Shoplifters have struck the reptile store several times before, but were all identified by police thanks to surveillance video.