Police officers in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, were surprised when they arrived at their station Monday morning to find an 8-foot-long alligator roaming the parking lot.
“Trespassers in the act!” authorities wrote on social media, along with pictures of workers capturing the reptile.
The department noted that it is sometimes called upon to respond to similar animal control calls, but has never seen an alligator at its station.
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Police officers in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, were surprised when they arrived at their station Monday morning to find an 8-foot-long alligator roaming the parking lot. (Sunset Beach Police Department)
“Officer Huddleston first arrived on scene and noticed a very large object in one of the parking spaces,” police said in the post, adding that they expected it to be a “typical Monday morning.”
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The post continues: “Officer Huddleston pulled over to get a closer look and saw something he couldn’t believe: an 8′ 2″ male alligator that had wandered into the police department’s employee parking lot.”
According to the department, Sergeant Harden, who is licensed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to remove alligators, was able to capture the alligator with the help of staff.
It was moved to a nearby pond “due to concerns for the safety of employees and the alligator.”
“We often hear the phrase ‘keep an eye on your surroundings’ but today is a perfect example of why we should always be aware of our surroundings,” the post added.
Harden, who is licensed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to remove alligators, was able to capture the animal with the help of staff, the department said in a statement. (Sunset Beach Police Department)
Alligators are commonly found along North Carolina’s coast and live in bays, lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, swamps and ponds, according to the North Carolina Department of Wildlife.
Late last month, firefighters in Brunswick County, North Carolina, were forced to use hoses to stop a 12-foot alligator from charging at a car on a dark road.
Late last month, authorities said a 12-foot-long alligator was found in the middle of the road in Boiling Spring Lakes, North Carolina, attacking passing cars. (Boiling Spring Lakes Fire)
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“A gentle rain shower prompted the crocodile to retreat, and after a time of having had enough of civilisation, he finally retreated to his safer quarters. Natural habitat, the fire department wrote on social media.
