A stolen gator found its way into their front yard, but a nearby cop knew what to do
When a Sarasota resident saw an alligator in his front yard Wednesday, he called 911.
Luckily, Sarasota Police Department Sgt. Bruce King — who has experience catching gators — was nearby and responded to the call in the 3200 block of Tallywood Lane. King previously worked for the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to police spokesperson Genevieve Judge.
The gator’s snout was already taped shut, having recently been captured, and had a tag from a trapper, according to Judge.
The gator, it turns out, was stolen from a burglarized trailer where it was being kept.
King and officer Justin Toler loaded the gator into King’s vehicle and returned it to trappers from Fish and Wildlife.
The resident told Sarasota police that he was a retired New York City police officer, but he “never saw a Brooklyn cop ever tackle and lasso and secure an alligator.”
Sara Nealeigh: 941-745-7081, @saranealeigh
This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 11:06 PM with the headline "A stolen gator found its way into their front yard, but a nearby cop knew what to do."