
Jaws Junior has been stolen from the Canberra Reptile Zoo. Photo: Supplied.
A thief broke into Canberra Reptile Zoo in the early hours of Friday morning (19 July) and stole two pythons and a freshwater crocodile, leaving the zoo’s staff and owner devastated.
Around 5am, a man was caught on CCTV footage stealing a Stimson’s python called Tim Tam, a hatchling jungle python called Zebra, a freshwater crocodile named Jaws Junior and an expensive register computer.
The managing director and founder of the zoo, Peter Child, said the thief deliberately targeted the pythons but the crocodile was an opportunistic theft.
“The crocodile had been removed from display and was being kept in a tub in the backroom,” Mr Child said. “The pythons were his intended target because after he broke in he went straight for them.
“He smashed their enclosure and picked them up in his hands and then came back and loaded up with all the products needed to keep the pythons. He broke the enclosures which was superfluous because all he needed to do was to lift the doors out.”
Do you think you might know this person?Approximately 6 AM this morning this heartless thief broken to the Reptile Zoo and stole several items including three of our much loved animals. The animals included jaws junior, our freshwater crocodile. Tim tam the stimpson Python And Zebra our hatchling jungle python. The thief targeted the animals specifically and also took several items needed to keep them as well as our register computer . As a non profit organization this has hit us hard but emotionally myself and the staff are shattered !!! Know anything please contact us privately .
Posted by Canberra Reptile Zoo on Thursday, 18 July 2019
While stealing the register computer will hurt the business’ back pocket the most, stealing three members of the zoo family has devastated the zoo’s small team.
“Each one of these animals has a name and each one was a pet to us. The crocodile has been here for a couple of years,” he said. “The animals themselves would only cost $150 each so he hasn’t stolen them because they are valuable but because he wants to keep them himself.
“We are worried about the crocodile the most because pythons can easily be kept but a freshwater crocodile is hard to look after.
“We also had to open late this morning because forensics had to come through. It hurts us quite a bit because it was a busy morning.”
ACT Policing are investigating and would like to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious near the zoo, or who may have dashcam footage of the zoo or surrounding area, between 7 pm Thursday (18 July) and 8:30 am Friday (19 July).
Anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website.
Please quote reference 6418811. Information can be provided anonymously.
There was a dead freshwater croc found on the Murray river. Any connection?
Why aren’t they posting the CCTV footage they have showing the man in the act of stealing the animals?
I know... what the hell 😩
I really hope they catch them, and that everyone is safely returned to where they belong!
I love the place, sad news for everyone. Hope you will get them back,
I hope the python gives him a tight cuddle around the neck
So sorry to hear that news!! Hope you can get them back.
I hope it bites them!
So terrible. Hope they catch these disgusting thieves
Too bad this idiot didn't put his hands in a brown snake enclosure
Police computer forensics need to go to google crocodile care sites and obtain ISPs of any local logs to their page.
I have shared , so sorry, low life’s they are .
Just ridiculous people can be so cruel ..
Absolutely hoping they come back home xxx
Elle Morgan JJ Wazowski so horrible
I will pray for their safe return 🙏🏻
Meth gator on the loose 🐊
Well....I will be on the look out for a 🐊
Hopefully the police have got enough from this cctv?
How could they do this
Don’t they have back to base security 🤷🏼♂️
😮😮😮 Danielle Orth Alice Fahrer Anita Vanderkleij
devo! how awful! 😧
this is so terrible omg how did this even happen 😰