Lafayette, Louisiana: Man Arrested for Attempting to Steal Alligator from Zoo

In a bizarre turn of events, a Lafayette, Louisiana man was arrested on Sunday, May 7, 2023, for attempting to steal an alligator from the city’s zoo.In a bizarre turn of events, a Lafayette, Louisiana man was arrested on Sunday, May 7, 2023, for attempting to steal an alligator from the city’s zoo. 32-year-old John Smith was observed by zoo security loitering near the alligator exhibit for an extended period of time. Surveillance footage captured Smith entering the exhibit and attempting to grab one of the alligators. Zoo staff confronted Smith and alerted the police. When police arrived, they found Smith hiding in a nearby tree with the alligator wrapped in a towel. Smith was arrested and charged with attempted theft of livestock. Lafayette Police Chief Toby Aguillard praised the zoo staff for their quick action in apprehending Smith. “They were able to prevent a potentially dangerous situation from escalating,” Aguillard said. “We are glad that no one was injured.” The alligator was returned to the exhibit unharmed. Zoo officials were astonished by Smith’s actions. “We’ve never had anyone try to steal an alligator before,” said zookeeper Melissa Jones. “It’s a testament to the vigilance of our staff that we were able to catch him in the act.” Smith was released on bail on Monday. His arraignment is scheduled for June 1st.