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Subscribe to RSSHe's known as "Wildman Phil" and makes his living traveling to schools and parties, educating kids on creepy, crawly reptiles and animals. But at a stop outside a Walmart in Englewood, Colorado, someone stole everything he had and - likely a little more than they expected.
Phil Rakoci stopped at the store at about 5 p.m. Thursday and went inside to get some supplies. He says he had to leave his SUV running to keep the reptiles warm. When he came out 20 minutes later, his Suburban was gone.
Read the full story at 9news.com
Inside his vehicle was a 3-legged, 50-pound African tortoise named Stumpy; a 13-foot Burmese python, a rattlesnake, five non-poisonous snakes, three scorpions, five lizards, two turtles, one gecko, and one tarantula, along with Rakoci's personal belongings.
"Wildman" Phil says he doesn't care about the things inside the car. What he wants back are his animals.
"They're not just props, they're live animals. They know me. I know them," he said. "It's pretty tough. I don't care; keep the suburban, the stuff in it. I just want to get the animals back and have them live through this."
Rakoci says the thief may not immediately be able to tell what they've gotten themselves into. Many of his animals are kept in solid, gray tubs.
Rakoci was set to present at a local elementary school Thursday but had to cancel. He was headed to Nebraska later in the week.
Englewood Police say they are looking for a blue 1999 GMC van with Arizona License Plate "TEDDIJO." There are several logos on the back of the van.
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I knew a guy that left his car keys in his Corvette, and his 3-foot iguana on the front seat. Nobody ever stole the car.
Way cool. I'd love the snakes.
It is STUPID to leave your car running, and unattended, even for a few minutes. Get a remote starter, so if you do need to leave the car running, it can't be driven off (for those who do not know, there are security features so if you engage the brake or shift, it turns the car off).
In some jurisdictions, if someone steals your car, and then kills someone else, you are already subject to being sued, but you may even face a criminal prosecution. So that is another reason not to do it.
never walk away and leave your car running!!! .With this lousy economy your are placing people in a very bad situation.
Some people will steal anything ,anywhere, but you do not need to tempt the idiot that would normally leave it alone. . It is part of your Civic duty!!. Anyway, I hope the animals are OK and are being taken better care of.
@Kevin C-752389
Remote starter?? All he needed was a spare key so he could lock the door manually with the other key still in the ignition.
There is the makings of a good Bar joke in there !
(Car Thief) Hmm, I wonder what's in this grey case.. I'll stick my face in there and find out. If it's the ratler, poetic justice!
Perhaps the viper will bite the thief. My daughter raises exotic reptiles and that guy has no idea what he has. Also many of them will not survive in the wilds of Colorado.
@Backcountry164, and the three thumbs up (so far), who gave you a thumbs up. TERRIBLE idea. You can't break a window, and still steal the car? That certainly will not stop a thief.
Again, with a remote starter, you can break in, get behind the wheel, and hit the brake, and the car stalls, and can't be restarted without the key. Your plan give them the key. Besides, with the cost of a spare key for today's cars (since they have a special security chip), you can almost buy a remote starter. Again, I recommend this for anyone, who has to keep their car running often, like if you have a dog.
The "easy way" is not always the right way.
By now the SUV is in chop shop and the animals in exotic animal food restaurant waiting to be bid on.
It would be interesting if the cops will ever find these animals and the SUV.
@Kevin C-752389
You've obviously never tried to break the window out of a car. Thieves in a busy parking lot are looking for easy targets. No one is stupid enough to believe you can break out the window of a car in a Wal-Mart parking lot at 5 o'clock in the evening and then get in a drive away unnoticed.
I guess you missed the part of the article where they say the car was a 1999 GMC Van
Let me guess what you do for a living.
They found the van and reptiles. :)
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_central_southern_az/casa_grande/stumpy-the-tortoise-reptiles-stolen-from-casa-grande-man-wildman-phil-rakoci
It is called a hole punch you press it agaist the glass and pop goes the window you can use a screw driver too
makes no nosie takes seconds fire fighters have them so do theifs glass is easy to break if you know how.
I would suggest a club it locks the steering wheel and brake so when you leave it running eventually they can break it but there usally want a quick deal in front of a store did the store have video camera's ?
@Backcountry164, boy, do you even know how to read?
First, my comment was CLEARLY a comment about not leaving keys in a car EVER, not just for this one case, so that it was a a 1999 GMC Van is IRRELEVANT.
Second, you are correct that I have never tried to break a car window, however, I do know, from being on the earth for more than 50 years, that they do not break easily UNLESS you have a simple tool (that Missy w is referring to). I have seen them demonstrated on T.V. as a safety device in case you somehow find yourself in a car underwater. With that tool, and SURELY, any professional car thief knows about them, you can break into a car in seconds, and with your "BRILLIANT" idea to have the keys in it, I have no doubt you can steal a car in broad daylight in seconds, not 5 minutes, since you only need to open the car door and drive away.
Lastly, you have no idea what I do for a living. If you are implying I am a criminal, you show your ignorance YET AGAIN.
Stop trying to defend a MORONIC point. YOU DON'T LEAVE KEYS IN A CAR, OR LEAVE IT RUNNING.
lol that's a very interesting story. I would def think twice before stealing a car with an iguana on the front seat! The new best security upgrade for vehicles!
@Kevin C-752389
You stated it is almost as expensive to have a new key made for a newer car than it is to install a remote start. I pointed out that would not have applied in this situation because it was an older car. Can YOU read or is it just comprehension you have issues with?
Actually I was implying that you install remote starters for vehicles since you seem to believe everyone is in need of one (guess comprehension is your issue). If you couldn't figure that out you should probably avoid calling anyone else ignorant.
Oh, and I have a spring loaded punch and they aren't in any way "silent". Breaking glass sounds like breaking glass no matter what you use to break it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpzCIY8xW84&feature=related
And how long it takes is irrelevant if someone is phoning in the license plate number to the police even before you've made it out of the parking lot.
It was totally unclear what you were implying. You should learn to write clearly since I don't read minds. And no, I am in the computer networking field, so no, I do not have any vested interest in anyone buying a remote starter. I also NEVER said that EVERYONE needs them, now did I? Again, your reading skills are lacking.
Your hypotheticals are getting "too perfect"...Sure, there may even be a cop standing there...one for every car. This is the REAL world. They are not THAT loud, and in fact, your video link proves my point quite clearly. Lastly, EVERY time a criminal steals, there is always the chance someone will see him. That does not seem to stop them, now does it?
Never understood why people leave their trucks and suv's running parked. I see it all the time in Texas mainly diesel powered trucks (worth like 40-60k) they leave them parked and running all the time and i cant figure out why. It is illegal to do so but i even see it in front of the Police Station..
Kevin C-752389
No but locking your doors works pretty well which is all this guy needed to do.
"See ya later, alligator!!"
Would this make the crime a bazaar jacking ? I was hoping the thief got a cobra, not in a container, for a bonus. I hope Wildman Phil didn't forget his St. Steve Irwin medallion. It could be an inside job. The three legged tortoise could have went rogue. Just because he is an amputee, doesn't mean he shouldn't be a suspect. Remember the one armed man in " The Fugitive " !
The person that stole this vehicle is in for awakening..
The taker and theif make God laugh, I hope the snakes teach this fingersmith a very good lesson never take what is not your own. then let him seek medical attention if he get there in due time.
Leaving your car running for TWENTY minutes while you're in a store is a little ridiculous.
having all those snakes in the car is totally stupid!
Ridiculous? Depends on where you live. In the city I would at least lock it up before leaving it running. Where i live everyone leave there keys in their cars but then i dont live in the city. If i woke and my car was gone i'd know my friends or neighbor borrowed it.
Also, I think we might be underestimating the thief.
I'm guessing these reptiles and, depending on the rarity and species, the scorpions might be worth something, too.
So the guy stealing the car might also be able to sell the animals for hundreds of dollars each. Buyers are more common than you think. In fact, my barber breeds snakes and makes a small fortune from selling them on the side.
Monetarily wise, it could be the equivalent of stealing the car with a couple brand new iPods in it.
And if this guy was fairly well known (a poster below even said he had been to one of his shows), he could have been a marked man. A rival or petty thief could easily learn this guy's habits: "Ok, two or three times a week, he goes to this particular pet store and leaves his car running unattended for 15-20 minutes." That's more than enough time to take the vehicle.
I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I swear! Just sayin'.
JSayle, I agree, it totally depends on the area. I have left my car unlocked (though not running) on many occasions when running into a store.
However, when you say you sometimes "lock your car while it's running" in certain areas.. well.. many new cars don't allow you to lock your car doors if your keys are inside your car, let alone in the ignition with the car running. Actually, my friend's '98 won't let him lock the doors when his keys are inside his car. It's just a measure to prevent people from locking their keys inside their cars.
Also, if you wake up and your car is gone, how can you be absolutely, 100% sure one of your friends or neighbors borrowed your car? First off, that's a little strange to begin with. I think if one of my friends or neighbors were to borrow my car, they would at least give me a heads up. Also, in the back of my head, even if I gave them the green light to use my car any time they pleased, there would still be the tiny chance and worry that maybe some stranger DID steal my car.
Maybe I'm just a worry wort. But if I wake up and my car isn't there, a part of me is going to be freaking out.
Um, how would you expect your WARM blooded reptiles to survive in cold weather if you don't leave your car running with the heater on? He had a second key, he thought it locked, apparently he didn't. He didn't pick these animals up somewhere, they are his and he brought them with from his home, here in Arizona. Go read up on Wildman Phil. He's a very caring, animal enthusiast. Y'all are just rude and inconsiderate. If you knew anything about animals or my uncle, you wouldn't say those things.
I know a lot about animals; I also know alot about stupid people. If you going to leave the car running, lock the doors and use a spare or the key fob. Aparently Wildman is a dumba$$. Hope his insurance tells him to p!ss off.
Well, whoever stole this vehicle is going to discover they got more than they bargained for. Let's see what happens when he opens the container with the rattlesnake. Don't imagine the snake is going to be really happy to see a stranger's face peering down. Maybe some swift justice will find its way into the thief. I have worked with reptiles, including handling rattlesnakes with my hands. Greed and low lifers like this tend not to live to ripe old age.Maybe Wildman Phil needs a sticker on his dashboard that reads Poisonous snakes on board. Leaving your car running is also no smart. How about getting two sets of keys. Then you can lock your cars doors if you must keep your car running. I had a friend use a locking wheel device during winter driving. Good luck and hope those critters get safely home to their owner.
he will probably SUE and WIN!
sad but true cowtown
The fingersmith scent alone is his appointment with those vicious reptiles I hope they all could be free to teach him a good lesson physically by letting out all their pent up rage on him.
"Inside his vehicle was a 3-legged, 50-pound African tortoise named Stumpy; a 13-foot Burmese python, a rattlesnake, five non-poisonous snakes, three scorpions, five lizards, two turtles, one gecko, one tarantula"
...and a partridge in a pear tree.
Did the Geico gecko get a new job?
The Geico Gekco is moonlighting to make some extra $
BW,
"Did the Geico gecko get a new job?"
Yeah, he's now Santa Gecko, but it's only a part time job; just for the Christmas season, you know. Then he will go back to working for Geico.
This man was making an honest living the most dangerous way to survive , he was not stealing , killing nor holding any one to ransom, could this be right ??? How ever the silence witness is looking on . Justice by God , Man, or Beast, will be justifiable in this case.
While leaving your car running unattended for 20 minutes isn't the smartest thing to do, stealing the car is still the wrong that trumps that. So if the thief gets bite that is swift justice
We all know he did a stupid thing by leaving his vehicle on for a while unattended, but looking at it the other way around he was at a cross road in judgmental decision on how long his stay would be at the store, giving the culprit an advantage... There 's always an unguarded moment in every one's life. Most of all people will learn from their wrong doing. Safety must be our goal.. Thinking twice.
I hope the thief takes good care of his cargo.
I hope he recovers his animals but that was not too smart to leave the vehicle running for 20 minutes while shopping at Walmart.
When I lived in the midwest I would occassionally warm up the car on the street but always locked the vehicle and used an extra key. But I wouldn't do it in a shopping center parking lot unattended even with a locked vehicle. It was probably only a matter of time before this would happen.
In South Carolina, if it ever gets that cold, if I need to warm it up, I start the car (only have one key....), unlock two of the doors (I locked my keys in the car once before like that), and leave it running near the front door or somewhere where I can see it. I wouldn't dare do so at a Walmart. I'll sit in the cold car and warm it up like that.
The animals have been safely recovered. The thief even left the heater running for the animals, too. These are cold-blooded animals and do not make their own body heat. (Remember biology in high school.) So Colorado cold can be very bad for them.
I've seen his show by the way. Very entertaining and educational. Kids love Stumpy!
I hope one of the items (rattlesnake) takes care of the thief; perhaps a couple of bites on the hand and leg. I have two sets of keys to my vehicle and during cold weather will start it, and lock it up.
The van is already in Mexico!!! I feel for these critters.
I hate all snakes. I feel no good feeling toward them. the others animals Ok. The thief I have the same feeling for him as the snakes .. The honest working man always receive the blunt at the hands of the wicked. Story ends.
his truck was found this morning, in Denver, with all animals still inside.
I hope the scorpions conduct a sting operation of their own to get the vehicle back to its owner.
well said, lawful1.
I turtlely agree with you. He'll be getting hiss very soon!
If he wasn't going to be that long in the store I doubt the reptiles would have suffered that much from the temperature. Seems disingenuous to leave the car running like that.
Somebody who is willing to leave a car running and unintended at a Walmart should probably not be handling animals. That's just my opinion.
FYI...no matter if it's one minute or five minutes, an animal can suffer in a matter of seconds if it's exposed to temps that are too extreme for that particular animal. NO ONE is gone for "just 5 minutes". It takes that long to get to the store's doors, never mind shop. I'm not bashing you, I'm just pointing out that an animal can suffer heat/cold in less time than one thinks. What a human can tolerate, say 75 degrees in a car, may mean death to an animal.
Well then, Mimi-2989426, I think the HUMAN in this case should have been a little smarter, especially if he's responsible for the well being of his animals.
For instance, maybe make some time to go to the store first, THEN pick up your collection of reptiles.
His animals are from deserts. 20 minutes without warmth sends them into shock, then they can/will die. He also didn't pick up those animals. He brought them with him from Arizona. Those are HIS animals, the way he makes a living. I'm pretty sure his ability to handle animals has nothing to do with him leaving his truck running in a walmart parking lot.
R. M. Fields - He did not "pick up" his collection of reptiles and then go to the store. Had you carefully read the story, you would know that he was travelling with them to places does shows with them.
Wild Man Phil is from Arizona where it is warm so he may not have thought ahead about the need to have an extra set of keys so he could keep the SUV running to keep the animals warm in the colder temps of Colorado. At any rate, the SUV has been recovered with all the reptiles in it unharmed. I suspect before his next trip north in the winter, he will have an extra set of keys.
I hope the car theives have enough compassion in their broken hearts and soul to return the animals to someont thet can get them back to the owner.
I like tortles
I admire the dedication of this man towards educating the public about certain animals.
But, he does live in this day and age and is surely aware of the consequences of leaving a vehicle running in a "walmart parking lot"
First of all, the types of customers and people that hang out at walmart stores are not known for their ethics and moral values, they are on the dredges of our society, that is why they shop at walmarts in the first place, and leaving apiece of chocolate out under their noses,well of course it is going to be eaten or stolen.
What a terrible generalization about Walmart customers. Most of the people I know and associate with a very good, decent people who would never consider stealing anything from anyone and most of them (and myself too) shop at Walmart.
Anybody want to start a pool as to which box the thief will open first?? I'm hoping for the rattlesnake box!!
Seriously though give the man back the animals!
Car thief: " I wonder what that rattling sound is in that box?"
/removes llid
/Bite bite bite
Car thief: " Quick! what's the number for 911?"
I'm a herpetologist and I feel for those herps. Hope they make it through this safely.
I have no truck (no pun intended!) with thieves, and hope that lowlife gets a little justice out of his (assuming it was a he - no law saying it must have been so!) miscreance - along with some jail-time.
But... leaving that car running unattended for 20 minutes? This does not say much for this guy and his thinking! Yeah, don't tell me. I know. "I trust folks to leave my stuff alone" Riiight. I don't suppose that he figures he can leave his cash sitting on top of the fuel-pump for 20 minutes while he heads off - and expect that it will still be there when he returns?
Back when I was a kid, I learned about something called "creating an attractive nuisance or opportunity just begging for some numbskull to jump onto". In fact, I believe there were and are laws about this... folks who, for example, leave a gun lying on the picnic table have some responsibility for what later happens with it. Something about "negligence" and putting the public at risk... A car is the same thing - folks leave cars running and kids take them and go joy-riding and get into a smash... yes, they "stole it", but the guy leaving it running with the keys in it has made it available for them to freely take. You are responsible for your property and the risk it places others in.
No. I am NOT saying anything like it's OK to take ANYTHING that does not belong to you - NO WAY. I do not condone thievery. Theft is wrong, and the thief should be punished. But leaving the car out there running unlocked was needlessly irresponsible and just begging for trouble - which evidently found him. A second set of keys is a super easy and cheap way to have avoided both the event and the time and effort spent chasing down this stolen car. Maybe folks should be charged for the cost incurred by this negligence?
charge the thief with the cost involved !!!,he is the one thats ultimately resposable for stealing it !
His truck WAS locked. No one got the real story, apparently. He has a second set of keys, it just didn't work correctly. He wasn't negligent either. He left the car running so his animals wouldn't die.
Just plain STUPID ! Imagine how bad the car smells with all the animals! They are probably suffering in the heat of the summer in a hot car as well ! I"m tired of these morons. Again, it's the animals that suffer from human stupidity.
He's not a moron. His car doesn't smell, really. And also, it's not summer here. In Colorado, the high is in the low 70's. Those animals probably have the most caring owner a reptile, mammal, arachnid, etc. could ask for. My uncle cares so much about those animals. Aside from his wife and kids, those animals ARE his life. That's how he makes a living. You know nothing about him, so don't speak ill of him.
I lived in Colo. for the last 10 years before moving last year. SEEMS like Colo. is really getting bad. TOO bad, it was nice!
When you're unemployed, you have a lot of time on your hands to get in trouble.
I saw this guy at a fair in Pagosa, Colorado. He put on a great show and he was great with the kids. He treated his animals with great care. His mistake of leaving his animals in a running vehicle should in no way over shadows the fact that he took such great care of his animals. All the people on here criticizing him should think about all the minor mistakes they have made in their life. Nobodys perfect so stop telling us how you NEVER leave your car unlocked. Hope the jerk car thief gets caught quickly!
Wow you people are such hypocrites , if he had left the car not running you would scream foul play for endangering the animals.
I leave my keys in my truck start it and lock the doors. I have an extra set and use them to get in...I take my dog w me alot and she cannot go in everywhere.
The guy did what he thought was the best for his animals. Not everyone has someone else to help out.
As far as an auto start....I have one on my truck and it goes off after 10 minutes.
Oh and as for the 20 minute comment.....It can take that long to get through a line at walmart!
I
I am so totally with you on this!!! Can can you blame a person; who is doing a cool thing for kids by the way; for getting his vehicle stolen. Stupid and rude!
How about go to the store, THEN pick up the animals?
And let's be honest. If he hadn't left the car running, and the animals were endangered, yet the car itself wasn't stolen, this wouldn't even have been a national story. Thus, we wouldn't be here commenting, so how can we be hypocrites?
The guy not only put his animals at risk (ANYONE could have just opened the door and taken them without even HAVING to steal the car), but he left his car running in a very public area for TWENTY minutes.
Yes, it's unfortunate that his car was stolen. But is anyone really surprised? Peoples' cars get stolen every day when they are LOCKED UP and NOT RUNNING. Yet we're shocked when he leaves his car unattended for twenty minutes, running, keys in the ignition? Get real.
He LIVES in Arizona, he was IN Colorado. Where do you think he might have left the animals to go into the store? He also said his car WAS locked, but whatever.................reading comprehension isn't what it used to be, apparently.
G.H. thank you!
He had to leave his car running to keep his animals alive. A lot of people, including his friends, family and supporters, were surprised that this happened. Those animals are his life. He didn't pick up the animals. They rode with him from here in Az.
I've seen his show at the school where I used to teach. He's great and the kids love Stumpy.
Wildman Phil is a great guy. Gone to church with him for years. Praise the Lord that he got all the animals back!
This is so sad. As an animal lover and owner, I feel terrible for him and hope he does get his loved ones back unharmed. Leaving your car running and unattended still does not give anyone the right to steal it. Living in a world where people expect someone to do these things, only encourages thieves that that is the norm and the thought process of, "of course we should steal this running attended car." There should be no excuse for anyone to do this.
I'm crossing my fingers and praying he gets his animals back.
I see so many people blaiming this man for his misfortune and, granted, there are other things he could have done to keep the critters warm but they do actually need a VERY warm environment. The well being of those animals appears to be all he was worried about. He should have had two keys but maybe he did. The thieves could have broken a window. No matter what this man should be commended for what he does for kids and not blamed for having his own vehicle stolen from him.