Python wrestlers arrested in Australian McDonald's

Two men who wrestled a stolen and ‘‘angry’’ 1.5-metre python in a McDonald’s restaurant in Melbourne’s north on Wednesday night will face court on burglary and theft charges, say police. Police said the two men, a 22-year-old Nicholas Jones from West Heidelberg and a 24-year-old from Reservoir, ‘‘put on a bizarre wrestling show’’ at the fast-food outlet with a black-headed python at about 10pm on Wednesday night.

The pair are accused of stealing the black-headed python and a monitor lizard from a shop in St James Road, Rosanna, in Melbourne’s north, east at about 4pm. Police allege the animals were taken from glass-fronted cases at the back of the shop. They said the lizard was slipped into a pillow case, but the python slithered free of the robber’s grasp and fell to the ground before it was carried from the shop.



Investigators allege the two men then appeared at a McDonald’s outlet in Bell Street, Preston, with the python in a container. ‘‘They took it out and began wrestling with it as puzzled customers looked on,’’ a Victoria Police spokesman said. ‘‘Police arrested the pair and the python was taken into protective custody, very carefully.

‘‘Detectives described the python as ‘not happy’ as they placed it back in the container for transport to the Heidelberg police station.’’ Black-headed pythons are native to northern Australia and are highly-prized pets because of their distinctive markings. Their diet consists of other reptiles and mammals. Nicholas Jones, 22, was remanded in custody to appear in the Heidelberg Magistrates Court. The 24-year-old was bailed to appear in court at a later date.