A day at the beach for Stockholm police resulted in their officers learning how to handle snakes. On Sunday afternoon, a woman called police after discovering that she was sunbathing in the sand next to a boa constrictor.
According to reports in The Local, the warm weather prompted a woman to hit the beach in Hasselby, a suburb of Stockholm. She was lying in the sand when she noticed a snake measuring almost two metres lying nearby.
Police spokesperson Ann-Sofie Ahlgren told the press: “She alerted authorities and as she was talking to police she saw yet another [snake] lying beside a bush.”
The police contacted the Skansen animal park in search of experts to assist in the strange situation.
“But they didn’t have time to come and get the snakes,” said Ahlgren. “So we sent out a patrol, and they tried to catch the snakes. They were able to get one in a bag, but the other acted somewhat aggressively.”
The police were able to enlist the assistance of a beachgoer who happened to be familiar with snake handling techniques. Together, the man and police succeeded in using a stick and an evidence bag to capture the two snakes.
“The snakes aren’t supposed to be dangerous and don’t usually bite. They hug—and are called hugging snakes, or so we’ve learned,” said Ahlgren.
The snakes have been taken to Skansen for safe keeping while police investigate where the snakes came from.
“No owner has come forward. It’s unclear if they’ve escaped or if someone let them out,” said Ahlgren.