Vexed by recurring theft of his van, a Chinese man has placed two pythons in his vehicle to deter thieves from stealing it.
An auto mechanic in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province was shocked to discover an over three-meter long python curled up on the engine block of the minivan when it was sent for servicing and alerted the owner about it, state run Global Times said.
The owner surnamed Li promptly returned and pulled the 40-centimetre thick snake from the engine, explaining that the reptile was not venomous and "usually does not attack people".
"Li claimed that he had been using two pythons to scare off car thieves after his van had been stolen numerous times," the media report said.
Vehicle thefts are a common crime in China, where bicycles and scooters are most sought after by thieves in Beijing who use innovative methods to tamper with locks or lift them in big vans.
