Stolen pet reptiles returned to owner

When she made a deal with a man on some snakes, the last thing Charlotte Felner expected was for him to come back and help himself to some of her beloved pets. But that is exactly what he did.

Nicholas Hillier, 23, was arrested Saturday afternoon on charges of burglary of a residence and grand theft, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Art Forgey said. Hillier and victim Charlotte Felner previously had met when they traded a pair of snakes. Felner said Hillier showed an “unusual amount of interest” in her blue iguana, deputies said, and told her he sold iguanas to vendors because they are easy money. At around 9 a.m. on Friday, Felner called the Sheriff’s Office to report that her reptiles, estimated to be worth a total of $1,100, had gone missing overnight. “I woke up that morning, and one of my roommates said, ‘Didn’t you have more cages out on the porch?’” Felner told The Sun. “I ran outside and saw my cage wasn’t out there.

The animals are now back with Felner and safe. To read the full article, click here.