Authorities in Westford are on the hunt for a slippery shoplifter—or should we say slitherer—after a Colombian Red Tailed Boa constrictor vanished from a local Petco. The Westford Police Department reported the squirming heist was carried out around noon on December 12, when a trio of snake snatchers allegedly orchestrated a distraction-diversion ruse at the 11 Cornerstone Square establishment.
According to a post on the department's Facebook page, a male believed to be the main thief managed to lift the live reptile while two female accomplices kept a store employee engaged. Their sleight of hand and sleight of snake must have been smooth, for no one seemed to have caught on until it was too late, and the slinky subject was spirited away.
The Westford Police are appealing to the public for assistance in identifying the sly suspects, sharing snaps of the individuals in question in hopes that someone might shed some light on their whereabouts. "If you have any knowledge of who these three individuals are or any further information about the incident at Petco, please contact Officer Lincoln at 978-399-2345," implored the police statement, reiterating the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a legal pursuit for justice that now includes a stolen snake.
