5-foot snake in apartment sink surprises New York City resident, cops say. ‘Run’

A 911 caller reported an unusual suspect for an apartment break-in — a roughly 5-foot snake, New York authorities said.

Officers with the 24th precinct of the New York Police Department received a 911 call June 5 about a snake climbing an exterior gate trying to enter a basement apartment, according to a news release.

Then, the apartment resident called to report a snake in the kitchen sink, a spokesperson for the police department told McClatchy News in a phone interview.

The Special Operations Emergency Service Unit responded to the Manhattan apartment to “corral” the wriggly creature, police said.

The report didn’t specify the species of snake.

Police said they handed the snake over to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The snake is now in the care of the Animal Care Centers of NYC, a spokesperson for the ASPCA told McClatchy News.

Social media users reacted to the snake’s discovery in an unlikely location.

“Run,” one person posted.

Others speculated it was someone’s escaped pet.

It’s illegal to own many types of snakes in New York City. Members of the Boidae family, including anacondas and boa constrictors, as well as members of the python family, are forbidden to keep as pets.

This story was originally published June 6, 2024 at 1:21 PM with the headline "5-foot snake in apartment sink surprises New York City resident, cops say. ‘Run’."