Alligator tries hiding under chairs near store entrance. It didn’t work, NC cops say

An alligator crawled up to an outdoor gear store in North Carolina and tried its best to hide under beach chairs near the entrance.

Alligators aren’t known for having a sense of humor, but a photo shared by the Sunset Beach Police Department shows the gator positioned its head to be directly under a seat.

It happened Friday, April 14, and the gator was seen before anyone plopped down on it.

“Officers with the Sunset Beach Police Department were dispatched to Coastal Outfitters ... for complaints of a 6-foot alligator at the business entrance,” police wrote on Facebook.

“When officers arrived, the alligator was concealing himself under several display chairs where customers enter and exit the business.”

Details of how it was discovered were not released.

A Sunset Beach officer who is also a licensed gator trapper removed the reptile “out of concern for the safety of the business owners, customers, and the alligator.”

Four officers were needed to shove it into the back of a truck, photos show. The gator was released at a nearby pond, officials said.

It was smallish among North Carolina’s alligators, which are protected by state law. Males can reach 13 feet and more than 500 pounds.

The department’s Facebook post has gotten hundreds of reactions, many from people who lauded officers for relocating the alligator.

“Glad no one tried out the beach chairs,” Hilly Hoyle wrote on the department’s Facebook page.

“Imagine sitting down without seeing it until part of a tail appears beside you,” Sarah Thorp wrote.

“Who needs security cameras when you have a gator to guard your merchandise,” Andrew Horner said.

Sunset Beach is about 180 miles south of Raleigh near the South Carolina state line.

This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 6:18 AM with the headline "Alligator tries hiding under chairs near store entrance. It didn’t work, NC cops say."