2 MD Men Arrested In String Of Snake Thefts Totaling $15K

Updated at 3:42 p.m.

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD — Two Marylanders were recently arrested in connection with a string of cold-blooded thefts in Virginia.

The Fairfax County Police Department announced Wednesday that three people — two men and a woman — were involved in robberies that saw reptiles stolen from county pet stores.

The two Maryland men were identified as 31-year-old DeSean Bagley and 21-year-old Xavier Igo.

Bagley was arrested Aug. 6, when detectives executed a search warrant in Capitol Heights. He is charged with two counts of petit larceny, felony larceny with intent to sell, and felony wearing a mask in public.

Police say Bagley remains held in Prince George’s County and will be extradited to Fairfax.

Igo turned himself in to detectives in Fairfax County on Aug. 8. He is charged with petit larceny and was released on his own recognizance.

The woman has not yet been taken into police custody. She is facing two counts of petit larceny, two counts of misdemeanor concealment of goods and felony larceny with intent to sell.

The Reptile Thefts

The department said officers first responded to a report of theft from a Richmond Highway Petco in Groveton on May 21, in which four pythons were reported stolen.

But that was just the beginning, according to police. Thefts were also reported at a Petco on Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads on May 23 and at a Petco on Little River Turnpike in Annandale on May 25.

The case is being investigated by Fairfax County’s Criminal Investigation Division.

Richard Cash, the assistant commander of the Criminal Investigation Division, said during a Wednesday briefing that just over 20 reptiles had been recovered from a residence in Maryland's Capitol Heights district when police executed a search warrant.

At the scene, just over 20 reptiles worth between $10,000 and $15,000 were found by authorities.

Cash said two of the stolen ball pythons were worth $400 each, and that the crew had stolen bearded dragons, geckos and milk snakes, all of which were recovered during the search.

The team of thieves, according to Cash, operated in pairs and were linked to similar thefts across Baltimore, Charles and Prince George's counties. In some cases, the thefts were conducted in broad daylight and with customers present in the store.

"There were customers, there were staff and they would just get to a position where they could get the habitats unlocked and then just start taking the reptiles," Cash said.

"They were in and out of the stores fairly quickly."

Detectives had viewed video footage of the trio stealing the reptiles with bags they'd brought to the stores. Cash also said the accused have past criminal histories involving larceny.

No Motive Just Yet

All three individuals will eventually be brought to Fairfax County for trial, Cash said, noting that investigators don't believe there were others involved.

No motive was established in the case.

However, Cash did say a few traveling reptile expos where animals are displayed and sold are coming to the area soon, and that the accused thieves might have planned to sell the reptiles there.

None of the individuals spoke to detectives after being arrested, according to Cash. It's unknown whether any of the three charged had a background of working at the pet stores.

Personnel from the Prince George’s County Police Department, Prince George’s County Animal Services Division, and Charles County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search and arrests.

Fairfax County police ask anyone with information about these thefts or others to call the Mason District Station at (703) 256-8035 or to submit a tip through Crime Solvers by phone at 1 (866) 411-TIPS (866-411-8477) or online here.