DETROIT (WWJ) - A lawful eviction took a bizarre turn for one bailiff and Detroit police officers on Friday when they went to notify a tenant, but found four more scaly and unruly residents in the home on the city's east side.
A Detroit police spokesperson told WWJ that the incident began after officers were called to the home on 9850 Yorkshire Blvd just after 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 16 to assist with an eviction.
According to police, an official from the 36th District Court had shown up to the home with a lawful court order to evict the tenant, but the man became irate and left the residence.
Detroit police officers were able to tack the man down to another location after arriving on scene, but the tenant fled on foot before getting into an unknown vehicle and driving off.
It was only after police returned to the home on Yorkshire that they realized there were other, potentially more problematic tenants inside.
"The Bailiff located a large alligator and what is described as baby alligators inside of the location," the DPD spokesperson said. All together, there was one adult gator along with three smaller and younger reptiles kept inside a tank.
Detroit Animal Control officers were then called in to assist police and the bailiff with wrangling the gators, DPD said. The large one proved difficult to control, but eventually the family was secured and taken out of the home without injuries to humans or animals.
Although it is technically legal to own an alligator in Michigan, many local codes and cities have their own rules in place. The state only bans the sale and ownership of pets that aren't native to America, but if the animal lives within the continental U.S., it is legal to have, the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development states.
In Detroit, it is apparently illegal to own alligators within city limits, although it remains unclear if the tenant was aware of it.
The animals are now in the care of Detroit Animal Care and Control, who is authorized to sell, transfer or euthanize any reptile they confiscate, FOX 2 reported.
For these gators, FOX 2 was told they will more than likely end up in the hands of a licensed animal keeper.