Police in the US state of Tennessee are looking for four suspects who used two ball pythons to distract a cashier before fleeing with $400 worth of CBD oil from a petrol station, Sky News reported.
CCTV footage from the Citgo store in Madison County, showed a man and a woman at the counter engaging the cashier in conversation. The man could be seen holding a curled-up ball python while the woman strokes it. At one point, he placed the snake on the counter, and the woman appeared to speak to someone off-camera. Moments later, he placed a second python over the counter before the footage cuts out.
Ball pythons are non-venomous constrictor snakes native to Africa, growing up to 1.8 metres in length.
As per Sky news, the incident took place on March 4. It was highlighted by 731 Crime Stoppers, a non-profit organisation assisting law enforcement in tracking down suspects. The group shared the footage online, identifying the suspects as two black men and two black women.
CBD (Cannabidiol) oil, derived from the hemp plant, is an active ingredient in cannabis used to treat various health conditions, and has also been suggested as a potential remedy for anxiety and depression.