A former employee at a Southwest Florida reptile breeding farm is charged with stealing 60 pythons and tortoises.
After a month of investigation, Collier County Sheriff's Deputies say Wayne Simmons, 50, confessed to stealing them during an interview. He was booked into the county jail Wednesday, charged with grand theft.
"We already have problem with the python. We have problems with our own native species at this point," said neighbor Colleen Engel.
Bell says this particular breed of python is not dangerous. She became suspicious of Simmons' behavior after her sister-in-law told her Simmons was purchasing rats from her.
"When he kept increasing the number of mice that he was buying to feed the snakes, it set off a red flag."
All of the company's 74 employees are checked before they leave each day to make sure nothing is stolen. Co-owner Jamie Cassin is rethinking their security policy.
"We're going to start new protocol's as well, so that we're able to check things maybe use clear bags and things so that people aren't leaving with animals."
Cassin says employees are told they will be prosecuted for theft before they start working for Reptile Industries.
