The late-night "intruder" reported at a Tampa home on March 29 was not a burglar at all. Officers who answered the call instead found a very Florida-style uninvited guest: a live alligator that had apparently let itself in for a solo swim. Neighbors were shaken but unharmed, and the whole scene was captured on video the department later shared.
Video shows officers discovering the gator
Video posted by the Tampa Police Department shows officers entering the residence, spotting the gator and then calling in a contractor to remove it. The post notes a nuisance alligator trapper removed the animal on March 29 and that residents were able to "enjoy gator-free sleep" afterward.
Licensed trappers handle nuisance gators
Per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program dispatches contracted trappers to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. The agency asks anyone concerned about a gator to call the toll-free hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286) rather than attempting to handle the animal themselves.
Not an isolated moment in Tampa Bay
Encounters like this are part of a broader pattern as residential development sits alongside Florida’s waterways. Hoodline previously covered a March report of a 9-foot gator lurking at Seffner bus stop, where a licensed trapper removed the animal with no injuries reported. Wildlife officials say keeping pets leashed, securing yard gates and reporting sightings are the best ways to reduce conflict.
For now, homeowners in the Tampa neighborhood are simply relieved the animal was taken away and normal routines resumed. If you see an alligator that looks out of place, stay back and call 866-FWC-GATOR.
