Pet shop owner blasts thieves who stole 50 of her pythons
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More than 50 snakes were taken in a raid on a pet shop in Nottingham. Thieves broke into Sherwood Pets, in Spondon Street, by forcing the door on during the night.
Shop owner Tina Rimer, 44, has since recovered eight of the snakes from exotic pet stores in Hull and Doncaster, which had been sold the animals.
She says the snakes were worth £15,000 to £20,000 between them. The largest of the reptiles, the rainbow boa, measures five feet in length.
"When I walked in I just felt like giving up," she said. "I've spent seven years of hard slog building up a collection and suddenly they've been taken away from me." Mrs Rimer collects the snakes as a hobby as well as selling some specimens. "I'll never be able to replace some of them," she added. Mrs Rimer said she feared the animals could suffer respiratory problems if not looked after correctly. "It's not like somebody's stolen a television. These are living things which will feel pain," she added. Police say the stolen snakes are not considered dangerous, but urged exotic pet owners and dealers to be on the lookout for them. A spokesperson said: "If you think you may have received an unsolicited approach to buy the snakes, or know who is responsible for the theft, contact Notts Police on 101, quoting incident 202 of May 4."
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