Chelsea • Mordialloc • Mentone
Chelsea
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Wednesday 11 February 2015
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Snakes raid ‘devastating’ Stephen Taylor steve@baysidenews.com.au
Cheers for years
CHELSEA resident Jessie Hands celebrated her 100th birthday last week with family and friends. The centenarian looked back on a life rich with living history. See story, Page 8. Picture: Gary Sissons
Peninsula Fireplace
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SNAKES valued at up to $30,000 were stolen from an iconic Mentone Aquarium early on Monday morning. A brazen thief smashed the toughened glass door of the Nepean Hwy store at 2.38am and then smashed glass cabinets to steal at least 30 pythons of all sizes and descriptions. But the man didn’t leave unscathed: CCTV footage shows him running from the shop with the jaws of a 1.8 metre olive python – known to be aggressive – clamped onto his hand. The haul included eastern coastal jaguar, jungle, wheat stinson and olive pythons which business co-owner Bill Bertram believes will “go into the hard-core snake man’s private collection”. Many of the snakes are valued at $1200 each, and all are breeding stock. Many had been bred for the first time and each had come from an egg because it is illegal to capture snakes in the wild. Mr Bertram has been robbed five times before in his 38 years at the business but says this was the most blatant and destructive, with the burglar on the premises for up to 40 minutes. “He used a pick or something to smash the front door and then the glass tanks and there was glass everywhere,” he said. “He obviously came prepared, running back and forth grabbing snakes - and he knew which cages to go to, so he had obviously cased the place. “It was pretty hectic in here for a while. He is an experienced snake person who knew what he was looking for.” CCTV footage shows a man in his 40s wearing a light coloured hoodie, light coloured
Smash and grab: A thief stole deadly pythons from Mentone Aquarium on Monday morning.
pants, dark tee-shirt, glasses and cap. Mr Bertram said the man may be known to others in the industry and appealed for help in identifying him. The trauma of the robbery – and its financial impact – was sinking in on Tuesday. The loss – which includes the snakes and associated equipment - was uninsured. “This hurts like hell,” Mr Bertram said. None of the snakes can be sold without a licence, but it is doubtful the snakes are destined for the overseas black market. “Getting them out of the country would be another big job in itself,” he said. “I think this is the work of a hardcore collector who stole them for his private collection.” It is believed another aquarium in Oakleigh was targeted the same night. Mr Bertram said he would consider offering a reward of a “couple of thousand” in an effort to catch the culprit. Anyone with information should contact Sergeant Dave Ingram, of Moorabbin police, on 9556 6565, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.