Photo: Lake Worth Police Department
An ATM in Lake Worth was crawling with visitors this week — but one of them wasn't making a withdrawal or deposit.
An alligator was spotted paying a visit to a local ATM on Wednesday (August 31) night in North Texas, according to KXAN. The Lake Worth Police Department was dispatched to the area and found a 3-and-a-half-foot gator minding its business near the drive-up money machines. It's unclear what bank the incident occurred at.
A woman said she was startled after she heard a "hissing" sound while making a bank transaction.
Lake Worth PD requested assistance from a local Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden who arrived on the scene. Video shared on Facebook shows officials wrangling the alligator using a pole. "We've never seen a gator outside of the lake. Ever," an officer is heard saying in the video. "We thought it came from somebody's yard or something."
The small alligator was subdued quickly and relocated to an "appropriate habitat nearby." No animals or officers were injured during the incident.
Officials warn residents to never handle wild animals by yourself. "Leave that to the professionals! If you see a dangerous animal outside their normal habitat or an animal in distress, please call us at (817) 237-1224," the Lake Worth Police Department says.
You can watch the video below: