Two thieves are at large in Tennessee after reportedly robbing a convenience store while wielding pythons.
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According to a report by WREG, employees of a Citgo Gas Station on Highway 138 in Denmark felt threatened when several men entered the shop 'wielding' pythons. Two men were holding snakes, but they were in a group of at least four people.
Mayur Raval, a worker at Citgo, told WREG that he and his brother were in the store at the time and that he's afraid of snakes. "They were just waving them around and putting them on the counter. 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."
The men reportedly stole around $400 worth of CBD oil from the counter. Raval believes they would have stolen more if the shop were less busy. "They pulled their car up to the front of the door. "I think they planned to successfully come here and rob the store. The snake is a weapon, you know," Raval said.
Per People, the incident occurred on March 4 and the Madison County Sheriff's Office shared security camera images on Instagram.
" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;margin: 1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:99.375%;width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);width:calc(100% - 2px)">The men were reportedly driving a small 4-door sedan, and the trunk was held shut with bungee cords.
Ball Pythons May Be Intimidating, But They Aren't Venomous
Per Billabong Sanctuary, Pythons aren't venomous and are typically heavily built, muscular, and slow-moving. The Python family also includes the largest snakes in the world. As Pythons don't have venom, they kill their prey by constricting them, tightening their grip as their meal struggles. Ball Pythons make decent pets, per TheSprucePets, as they stay fairly small and docile. When threatened, they typically curl into a ball rather than fight, which is where the species gets its name.
It's unlikely a small python would do much damage, but it can be a very different story with other snake species. We recently reported on a Cape Cobra spotted in a South African lodge. The Cape Cobra is the most venomous snake in South Africa. It also shares the title of 'most dangerous' alongside the Black Mamba, Boomslang, and Puff Adder.
The lodge's unwanted guest managed to hide in a toilet, and it was swiftly freed by a snake removal company.
