Merseyside police are appealing for information after 38 snakes, including eight pregnant females and 11 young snakes, were stolen from a flat in St Helens.
Thieves forced entry to an address in the town last Monday and took the snakes. Two men were seen leaving the premises with two sacks, before making off in a dark coloured vehicle.
Police say the royal pythons, which can grow up to 5ft (1.5 metres), are non-venomous and extremely unlikely to pose any threat to the public.
Officers say there is a “specialised market for such snakes” and that it is likely they will be offered for sale to snake-handlers locally or via the internet.
DC Neil Henry, from St Helens CID, said the snakes need specialist care and called for members of the public to come forward with any information.
“This is a large collection of snakes that the victim had been gathering for a while,” he said.
“Clearly, there is a specialised market for such snakes and we would appeal to anyone involved in the buying and selling of snakes to look out for any royal pythons that they may be offered and consider whether they may have come from this address.”
“These snakes, in particular the pregnant and young snakes, need specialist care and can grow to around 5ft in length. We are appealing for any help the public can give us to trace them.
“I would urge local people to cast their minds back to the evening of Monday 16 March in case they saw the two males in a dark-coloured vehicle or remember seeing or hearing anything suspicious.”
Anyone with information that could assist the police is asked to contact St Helens CID on 0151 777 6843 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111
