Police in Florida captured a 12-foot, 120-pound Burmese python on Friday that they suspect was eating neighborhood cats, Port. St. Lucie spokesman Sgt. Frank Sabol said.

An officer responded to the 600 block of SE Faith Terrace at about 7:20 a.m. for reports of a large snake. He found a dead cat in an empty lot on the street, and waded into wait-high brush, seeing the snake.

With the help of backup, officers were able to extricate the snake, Sabol said. Four snakes, including the Burmese python, were added to the state's no-import list in 2012.

Despite being included on the list in 2012, plus a cold-weather freeze in January 2013 that killed many snakes, pythons remain a serious threat and getting rid of them has proven difficult. A Burmese python can lay between 20-80 eggs each spring.

Police found a third-party with a valid license to house the snake.

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