Cobra Guards Diamond-Encrusted Shoes

And since we're on the topic of Indiana Jones, how about this story from England that could have come right out of an Indiana Jones plot. Harrod's of London rented a poisonous Egyptian cobra to guard a $120,000 pair of gem-encrusted sandals. Now that's extreme. Here's the story from Yahoo!News:

London's Harrods hires cobra to guard $120,000 shoes

LONDON (AFP) - To their high society owners, a pair of haute couture shoes can be a precious thing.

But to guard a 62,000 pound (120,000 dollar) pair of ruby- sapphire- and diamond-encrusted Rene Caovilla sandals at their London launch, retailer Harrods went to extreme lengths: bringing in a live Egyptian cobra to patrol the shoe counter.

Whether hiring a poisonous snake is, strictly speaking, the most effective means of guarding precious footwear might be a moot point with security experts.

Link to the full story. Photo copyright AFP/File/Shaun Curry.