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MIDDLETOWN — Two snakes are recovering and another is missing after they were swiped from a Central Avenue tattoo parlor during a Sunday night break-in.

When Edward Morris, owner of Custom Tattoo, arrived at his shop in the 1700 block of Central Avenue at about

10:20 p.m., he expected to see the place ransacked and some of his expensive equipment missing.

What Morris and Middletown police found was the door kicked in and three large snakes missing from their tanks.

"They could have taken a lot more expensive things than my snakes," Morris said.

Stolen were a 8-foot Colombian red tail boa worth $2,000 and two long corn snakes, each valued at $400. Corn snakes, Morris said, are also constricting snakes that are not venomous.

"But I was really concerned about the boa being out there. It has bitten me before. It eats large rabbits. It could do some damage to a child or if the wrong person got a hold of it."

Officers investigating the break-in learned that a mother had called Morris and stated that her 11-year-old son had confided that he was in possession of a snake taken in the break-in.

The boa had apparently been taken to a Charles Street home where the

11-year-old gave it to a 13-year-old friend who was visiting his grandmother, according to Juvenile Detective Bobby Reese.

The grandmother said the boy could not keep the large snake in the house and the boy apparently went out the back door and set it loose.

Officers searched the area surrounding the house and found the missing boa stuffed in a trash can in the alley. The lid was on the can and an old tire was keeping it secure.

Officers charged the 11-year-old with juvenile delinquency by way of complicity to breaking and entering and receiving stolen property. The 13-year-old was charged with juvenile delinquency by way of receiving stolen property.

One of the corn snakes was recovered by officers when the younger boy was charged, but the other was still missing Monday afternoon. The missing snake is pregnant, Morris said.

The two recovered snakes were being kept warm in Morris' store on Monday afternoon.

"I think they are going to be OK. I hope they don't get sick," Morris said.

Reese is still investigating the break-in and is hoping to recover the missing snake.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2841 or lpack@coxohio.com.