Police have released photos of a suspect in the "snake scam" burglaries that have struck the Bay Area in recent weeks.
Fremont police on Wednesday responded to a late reported burglary on Moore Drive in the city's Cherry/Guardino area. The victim told police that between 5 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24, a woman came to her house and said she was looking for a poisonous snake that had gotten loose and bit a girl on the street. Police said the victim realized on Wednesday that it had been a scam and that her home was burglarized.
The victim told police that when the suspect knocked on the door, she stated that she was from Animal Services and that she needed to take measurements of the home and yard. The suspect also required that everyone in the house come out to the backyard to assist with the search for the snake.
Police said cash and jewelry were taken from the home during the backyard search. The victim did not realize the items were stolen from her home until Wednesday.
The suspect is described as a white or Hispanic woman, standing about 5 feet tall and with a medium to heavy build. She has a pierced tongue with a ball on it, and was last seen wearing a hat, dark-colored gloves and a tan or brown short-sleeved button down shirt with patches on the sleeves that stated "Bay Area Animal Control" or "City Animal Control." Male suspects associated with the scam and burglaries are described as being Hispanic and about 35 to 40 years old.
The rash of snake scam burglaries has hit both sides of the Bay Area.
MORE: Snake Scam Burglars Continue to Strike
Belmont police last week received reports of two burglaries
In both cases, a female suspect posing an animal control officer contacted residents, police said.
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Similar reports have been made in Burlingame and San Mateo.
Anyone with information on the suspects and the snake scam is asked to contact their local police department.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
