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New York police raiding the Brooklyn home of Michael and Alisa Volpe Monday expected to find guns and drugs, but not a three foot alligator.
The couple was keeping the reptile as a pet, police said, and their neighbors said they had no idea there was an alligator in that apartment, while they didn’t seem surprised the couple got arrested for drugs.
“It is illegal to keep a wild animal as a pet in New York City without special permission from wildlife authorities.” j.mp/OAundX
— Pavol Sulek (@sotek) October 2, 2012
Police often find exotic animals in city apartments, the New York Times said.
Last month, humane officers seized numerous exotic animals from another Brooklyn apartment, including one boa constrictor and five pythons, two alligators and other assorted creepy crawlies.
Police also found two loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun and marijuana at the raided house. Animal control came to rescue the gator. Meanwhile, Paul Fox, a 20-year-old neighbor said “the kids that hang out there are not a good crowd,” he said.
“But an alligator? Why would you want an alligator in your basement?”