Alligator on the loose in NJ county; residents urged to stay away from local lakes
MIDDLESEX, N.J. - An unusual, and apparently stealthy, criminal has eluded police in Middlesex County for over a week now.
The four-foot-long alligator was first spotted at Victor Crowell Park last Wednesday.
Officers attempted to capture the "potentially dangerous" animal, but the gator escaped.
Days later, it was seen again in two separate bodies of water in the area.
Police say an officer shot at the alligator "in an attempt to neutralize it."
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However, the gater escaped yet again, reemerging in Lake Creighton this week.
One trap was set at the lake Wednesday, with several others set to be deployed by wildlife officials.
Residents are being urged to avoid Lake Creighton, and surrounding bodies of water as police continue to search for the escaped gator.