Police make two arrests and recover pair of unique lizards stolen from reptile shop last year

California (AP) (10/20/20)— Police in California announced two arrests and the return of a pair of unique lizards that were stolen from a reptile shop last year.

The Long Beach Police Department said Friday that the two Australian lace monitor lizards were stolen from JTK Reptiles in Long Beach in November, The Los Angeles Times reports.

The lizards, which can grow to be more than 6 feet (1.83 meters) long, were valued together at $75,000.

Three people entered the store, broke into the cages holding the lizards and escaped to a waiting car, authorities said.

Police tracked the lizards to a Panorama City house September 23. Jose Luis Macias Jr., age 30, and Kassandra Marie Duenas, age 27, who were in the house at the time, were arrested and charged with second-degree robbery.

Both men were released on $50,000 bail, police said.

Animal control handlers were called to recover the lizards before being returned to their owner, Long Beach Police Department spokesman Brandon Fahey said.

The suspects “seem to be knowledgeable about lizards and lizard value and lizard selling,” Fahey said.

Fahey declined to say how detectives found the animals.

“As far as I know, the lizards were A-OK,” Fahey said. “We lucked out there.”

The store owner declined to comment Monday.