CRIME

Melbourne police arrest man after snake snatching

Tyler Vazquez
Florida Today
Security camera screen grad of a man who previously took a cat from Aloha Pet & Bird Hospital returned Tuesday evening and smashed the window of the adoptable cats room with a hammer.

UPDATE:Melbourne police misidentify Indian Harbour Beach snake theft suspect

Note: The suspect in the case gave police the wrong name when arrested Tuesday. John Robinson is not a suspect in the case. 

A man wearing a tie-dye shirt and multicolored leggings is accused of stealing a snake in Indian Harbour Beach Tuesday evening. 

John Robinson, a 28-year-old Indialantic man, was arrested after Melbourne police said he snatched a ball python from another man outside of the Dollar General on Eau Gallie Boulevard. 

Police believe Robinson is also the suspect who broke into the Aloha Pet & Bird Hospital in Indian Harbour Beach twice. In that case, police said a homeless man wearing multicolored yoga pants known as "Sand Flea Jesus" first stole a cat named Flounder back in November. He later came back and smashed a window to the cat adoption area in December. 

More:Melbourne police seek clues to ID 'Sand Flea Jesus' after window broken at pet hospital

A man who previously took a cat from Aloha Pet & Bird Hospital returned Tuesday evening and smashed the window of the adoptable cats room with a hammer.

In the most recent incident, the victim told police that Robinson approached him and asked to hold his snake. He told Robison that he could look but not touch, arrest reports state. 

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Robinson then shoved the victim back and grabbed the snake from him before running north away from the shopping plaza. 

The victim then gave chase while his friend called police, police said. Robinson hopped the fence of Sun Harbor Nursery on Eau Gallie Boulevard where he attempted to hide from responding officers in a thick wooded area. 

 



Robinson then hopped the fence out of the nursery before hopping another and jumping onto the roof of a rear patio, arrest reports state. During questioning, he told officers he released the snake inside the nursery. 

Police did not find the snake at the time of the arrest, according to reports. 

Employees at the pet hospital said that the man they know as "Sand Flea Jesus" attempts to free animals by dumping out bait buckets, cutting fishing lines and trying to unhook dogs from leashes. 

Once arrested, Robinson was charged with robbery by sudden snatching, petit theft, resisting arrest without violence and releasing a non-indigenous animal. He is being held at Brevard County Jail Complex on $6,500 bail. 

A Baker Act was also filed against Robinson, who threatened to grab an officer's gun and kill himself, police reports state. 

Contact Vazquez at tvazquez@floridatoday.com, 321-917-7491 or on Twitter @tyler_vazquez.