GUARD crocodiles may be the answer for a reptile farm almost at snapping point after the repeated theft of valuable skins and skulls.
The move to put the "flat dogs" on patrol at night comes after a spate of crocodile skin and artefact burglaries from the Daintree to Gordonvale.
Cairns Crocodile Farm is considering the extreme measure after three recent break-ins where 1m long stuffed skull from a 6m croc, two expensive skins, about a dozen skulls, a stuffed 1.5m croc, leather handbags and computer equipment has been stolen in the past month.
The Gordonvale farm's human resources manager Megan Maujean said enough was enough.
"We are thinking about putting crocs overnight in the office to act as a deterrent," she said.
She said while it was difficult to put a price on the large skull, the skins were worth about $500 wholesale each.
She suspects the raids were well organised
"The place where they stole the skulls from, you would have to know where to go," she said.
The Gordonvale skull thefts are just the latest in a month of crocodile-related crimes.
Last week a 5m long skin that wrapped around a fibreglass croc body was stolen from the Solar Whisper kiosk near the Daintree ferry.
Sen-Constable Peter Hornsby of Mossman Police said in another incident on Sunday a $1500 crocodile skin with the full head attached was stolen from another tour ticket office on the Daintree River near Barretts Creek landing.
"Thieves are obviously targeting croc skins," he said.
"When these people are caught they could face jail, a criminal record and fines for
being in unlawful possession of a crocodile skin.
"They would not be the easiest thing to hide and are easily identified."
A Stihl leaf blower, two eskies, 40 litres of fuel and a wind chime were also stolen from the Barrett's Creek kiosk.
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