The huge snake crashed into clothes and other items for sale
Australian police investigating a suspected break-in at a charity shop have discovered the culprit was actually a 5.7m (19ft) python.
Police called out to the store in the town of Ingham, in northern Queensland, had been mystified by the chaotic crime scene they were confronted with, including a hole in the ceiling and a smelly pool of vomit-like liquid.
Officers initially thought a thief had fallen through the ceiling and then thrown up – until employees spotted the giant snake the next day.
The python was taken away from the shop by local snake catchers
Police Sergeant Don Auld said: “We thought a person had fallen through the ceiling because the roof panel was cut in half.
“When they’ve hit the floor, they’ve vomited and then staggered and fallen over. That’s what we thought anyway.”
He now suspects the python, which weighs 17kg (37lbs), entered the St Vincent de Paul charity store, called Vinnies, through the roof, which was damaged in a cyclone two years ago.
The animal then plummeted through the ceiling, knocking over dishes, clothes and other items, before relieving itself on the floor. It somehow managed to hide from officials until staff spotted it lying alongside a wall the next day.
“Its head was the size of a small dog,” Mr Auld added.
A local snake catcher was called in to capture the reptile, which has been relocated to nearby wetlands.
Advertisement
Snakes sometimes regurgitate their food when they feel scared or threatened.
