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Alligator sneaks into North Carolina bagel shop, sends owner scrambling in encounter caught on camera
A three-foot alligator wandered into Bagel Dock Express in Southport, North Carolina, on 29 October, startling owner Jesse Driscoll and prompting him to call 911. The shop was closed to customers, and the reptile was safely captured and relocated by police and Animal Protective Services.
The alligator entered through an open back door while workers were installing a new oven, then moved through the kitchen towards the counter. Driscoll said the encounter was far outside the ordinary for a bagel shop; Southport had also seen other unusual alligator sightings this year, including a 12-foot animal removed from a home in April.
In short
- A three-foot alligator wandered into a Southport bagel shop.
- The owner backed away and called 911.
- Police and animal services safely relocated it.
Explained simply
Alligators are native to North Carolina and live in its coastal wetlands, rivers and lakes. They can sometimes turn up in towns when moving between waterways or searching for food.
Southport is a coastal city where people and alligators share the landscape. Encounters can happen near homes and businesses, so local police and animal services may be called to capture and relocate an animal that enters a populated area.