CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A mother and son accused of stealing a snake from a pet store were arrested the next day when they returned to the store and asked for books on how to care for the animal, police said.

Store clerks recognized the suspects from surveillance video taken during the theft and stalled them until police arrived.

The video showed the 15-year-old taking the 30-inch baby boa from its cage, wrapping it around his neck and hiding it with his jacket, while his mother acted as a lookout, police said.

The video appeared to show the head of the red-tail boa sticking out of the boy's jacket collar, police said.

The mother and her son were arrested Dec. 22. The snake, worth $300, was recovered from their home and returned to the Petland in this Cleveland suburb, police said.

Sebrina Hill, 35, faces theft charges and will be appear in Cleveland Heights Municipal Court next month. Her son was booked and placed in the custody of relatives, police said.

Bobby Stuczynski, reptile and fish manager at Petland, said the snake is generally mild-mannered but curious. It can become aggressive under stress, if it is not fed properly or it is kept in improper temperatures, he said.