LADS RAID SNAKE PARK.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5149, 8 July 1927, Page 4

LADS RAID SNAKE PARK.

AN INCOME FROM REPTILES.

DABBLING WITH DEATH

Probably one of the most amazing Stories of juvenile delinquency ever unfolded in Court concerns four European lads, whose ages range from 10 to 16 (says a Johannesburg message). They formed themselves into a syndicate and in the dead of night systematically robbed the world-fam-ous snake park at Port Elizabeth o"f its venomous denizens in order to sell the reptiles back to the authorities in the daytime. In this den of death thousands of poisonous reptiles, from the deadly puff-adder to the cobra, are kept alive for the purpose of exhibition and for making experiments to obtain anti-snake bit serum for the benefit of humanity.

Recognising the potentialities of trading in snakes, thei boys gained a steady income for a time by hunting reptiles in Buakens River. With the coming of drought their prey vanished, and then it was that they decided to raid snake park. While the others kept watch Jimmie, aged 13, scaled the wall and, with bent twig, hooked wire, and pillow slip, fished out the loathsome, squirming' creatures from their enclosures. This went on nightly ~fpr two and a-half months, and then the suspicions of the authorities were aroused.

A watch was kept, and the daring Jimmie was caught in the act of battling with a vicious puff-adder.-He shrieked so loudly when captured that his litttle brother, aged 10, believed him to have been bitten by a snak nd to be in deadly peril. With wonderful bravery the litttle fellow scaled the wall to help his brother, and luckily saw the sullen puff-adder barring his way along the pathway. With a bound lie cleared the snake to reach the spot where he thought his brother to be, but ended in the: watcher’s arms.

When the two boys were brought before the Court the leader of the ■combine, who was slinking at the back among witnesses, was discerned by the brave lad of 10, and, seeing he was recognised, he made off. A policeman set off in chase, and the lad was caught at a distance of 500 yards from the Court. It was found that the boys had sold £2B worth of snakes, to the snake park during the time they had been operating.