Florida officers 'question' alligator hiding under car: 'A suspicious character'

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10-foot alligator seen crossing Florida highway

A large alligator made its way across a highway in Key Largo, Florida, causing major traffic jams. See the creature captured on video!

A "suspicious" Florida alligator was apprehended by Polk County officers on Tuesday before eventually being released back into the wild.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office reported that the sly reptile was spotted near a local employee's car. The employee worked at Borem Fire Protection, a business in Lakeland. 

"Deputy Sheriff Bujnovsky poses with a suspicious character who was lurking under the car of an employee at Borem Fire Protection in Lakeland on Tuesday," the sheriff's department wrote on Twitter.

The picture shows a serious-faced deputy holding the small alligator with both his hands. The reptile had its mouth taped up to avoid biting.

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Deputy Sheriff Bujnovsky posed "with a suspicious character" in the department's social media post. (Polk County Sheriff's Office)

The department joked that the animal "didn't want to speak."

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"During questioning, it didn't want to speak with deputies – probably had something to do with having its mouth taped shut (don't worry, when done correctly the tape comes off easily in the water)," the cheeky social media post added. "It was then released in a nearby lake."

Polk County Sheriff's Office reported that the sly reptile was spotted under the car of a local employee. (Google Maps)

"#ItIsAFloridaLongFrog #OrAReallyLargeAnoleLizard" the tags under the post read.

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Florida alligators and crocodiles often venture out of the wilderness and into contact with humans. Last week, officials pulled a 10-foot crocodile from a homeowner's pool.