A worried call to police from a resident of Plymouth, UK, turned out to be a load of crock -- inflatable croc, that is.
A caller described an "escaped animal" to Devon and Cornwall police on Wednesday, which was believed to be a three-foot-long crocodile. The "escaped animal" was enough of a concern to police that local zoo officials were called in.
Police were quick to alert the sighting of the critter on their Twitter account, assuring the public that the community would be safe.
Call received of an escaped animal in Plymouth, believed to be a Crocodile 3ft in length. Caller concerned. Dartmoor Zoo informed #InTheWild— DevonCornwall Police (@DC_Police) October 15, 2014
For three entire minutes after the tweet, residents of Plymouth were left wondering how the beast would be contained.
But police quickly changed their tune after the worried caller approached the suspected crocodile while on the phone with them -- just to find out it was an inflatable toy.
...Caller has bravely approached the beast. Turns out it’s an inflatable toy crocodile. Experts from Dartmoor Zoo stood down. #Relieved— DevonCornwall Police (@DC_Police) October 15, 2014
Dartmoor Zoo, which had been called in by police to respond to the crocodile, seemed relieved that its emergency animal response team would not be necessary to wrangle the beast.
Police called for our emergency animal response team to get this critter. Turned out to be a toy #FunOnaRainyDay pic.twitter.com/yqtf6DpHBd— Dartmoor Zoo (@DartmoorZoo) October 15, 2014
.@natalie_howes Good job he's in police custody now. Plymouth can breathe easy #PlymouthMonsterCroc— Dartmoor Zoo (@DartmoorZoo) October 15, 2014