Sssss…urprise!
Snakes greeted Los Angeles Police Department officers when a man ditched the exotic animals after cops confronted him for “parading” the snakes around for money.
“Hollywood VICE officers hit the Walk of Fame today and found a man parading exotic snakes around for tourist money,” LAPD Hollywood wrote in a social media post.
“When officers tried contacting him, our ‘Snake Señor’ slithered away on foot and left the reptiles behind. Nice try, compadre,” they added.
It’s unclear what the officers would have charged the man with or if he’s been caught. It’s illegal to own certain exotic pets without a permit, and vendors in the area require a permit for any commercial activity.
The officers ran into the man while patrolling the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He then fled, leaving several large snakes.
“Looks like the only thing getting squeezed today was his escape plan,” the department joked.
LAPD’s social media post was set to “La Culebra,” Banda Machos’ song advising people to watch out for snakes.
“‘Ay la Culebra!’ (Watch out for that Snake!),” the department said.
It’s not illegal to own a snake in California, but certain species require a “restricted species permit” that carries a variety of associated fees and rules.
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