BOARDMAN, Ohio - A Youngstown man has been arrested for allegedly shoplifting a $700 python from a Boardman pet store.

Robert Phillips, 29, was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to answer a charge of theft in county court next month.

According to a police report, Phillips and a companion filled out paperwork to finance the purchase of a $3,000 snake at Harbor Pet store on Market Street last month.

A store employee told officers that Phillips browsed through the store while his credit application was being processed.

After learning that his application had been rejected, police say Phillips made a $50 purchase and left the store.

It wasn’t until closing time that a store employee noticed that a Mojave Clown Ball Python was missing.

Upon checking recorded security video, the employee told police that Phillips could be seen removing the Python from a snake enclosure and concealing it before he left the business.

Since the suspect had filled out the credit application, an employee called Phillips who immediately hung up after learning who was on the other end of the phone.

The employee also called the woman who was at the store with Phillips. She said she would try to convince Phillips to return the snake.

The report doesn’t indicate if the snake was returned.  The theft charge was filed four days after the alleged theft.

The report also doesn’t say how the suspect concealed the python.

Store employees told 21 News that the suspect's girlfriend paid the store back for the price of the snake plus interest.

According to outbackreptiles.com, Mojave Clown Ball Pythons are relatively small, reaching 3-to-5 feet in length.