Police Shoot At Alligator Found In Middlesex Boro Pond

MIDDLESEX BOROUGH, NJ — The owner of a lawn care maintenance company who first saw the Middlesex borough alligator last week has now exclusively provided Patch with this photo he took, and videos below.

The alligator remains on the loose and has still not been caught as of Monday afternoon, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. There was an unconfirmed report that someone saw the alligator early Monday morning in Lake Creighton in Victor Crowell Park, said Middlesex Police.

Middlesex Police also said an officer shot a gun at the gator Saturday night, but it is unknown if it was hit by the bullet:

"The alligator was located by officers on Saturday night in Lake Creighton and later in the Ambrose Brook, however the area in which it was located was not accessible to make capture feasible," said Middlesex Police. "Because the threat to public safety that this reptile causes is significant, a Middlesex police officer employed a safe discharge from a firearm in an attempt to neutralize it, while in close proximity. The alligator immediately submerged into the brook and it was unconfirmed if the attempt was successful."

In fact, there are so many crowds gathering in Victor Crowell Park to see the alligator that on Monday afternoon Middlesex Police announced they are shutting the park down:

"Due to activity surrounding alligator sightings, Victor Crowell Park is CLOSED to the public for 72 hours or until such time that the reptile is no longer deemed a threat to the public safety."

Landscaper recounts first time seeing alligator

The landscaper is Mario Fincher, who owns On Time Landscaping, which is located in Middlesex borough. He said he believes he is the first one to have seen the alligator last Wednesday, while he was working in a client's backyard. This was in the area of Melrose Avenue in Middlesex borough, he said, but he did not want to give his client's specific address.

"When I first saw it, of course I couldn't believe my eyes," Fincher said. "I provide maintenance to this property almost every week, along with their neighbors. There is a small body of water that runs along the backyards of all the homes. Being a big fan of bass fishing, I always look in every body of water. But I've never seen fish in there until I saw the gator. Blew my mind."

"We saw each other at the same time and she swam close to me," he continued. "It was just watching me for a while so I got back to work."

Fincher took two videos of the gator last Wednesday; see below.

Here's where the gator has been seen:

According to Middlesex borough Police, the alligator has been seen in the waters of Lake Creighton, commonly known as the Duck Pond, and Ambrose Brook, which is a conduit between the lake and the Raritan River.

Chief Geist confirmed it was the landscaper who first reported seeing the alligator on Wednesday. That same day, a town DPW worker confirmed that he also saw it. On Thursday, a police officer confirmed he too saw it. The officer tried to capture the animal but, "it ducked under the water and swam off," said Police Chief Matthew Geist.

“Citizens are strongly urged to stay away from Creighton Lake and the Ambrose Brook and should NOT approach or make attempts to capture the alligator," the police chief added.

He warned that his officers "will take all means necessary to resolve this situation." He said the alligator is "capable of inflicting serious or fatal injuries. It is most likely a pet that someone dumped."

The DEP did not send any Fish & Wildlife employees to Ambrose Creek over the weekend or on Monday.

Instead, the state said they are "seeking current information about the animal’s current location so a humane trap can be set."

"NJDEP Fish & Wildlife has received reports of a small alligator about three feet long in Ambrose Creek in Middlesex borough," said DEP spokesman Larry Hajna on Monday afternoon. "Fish & Wildlife is seeking information about the animal’s current location so that a humane trap can be set. Members of the public having information on the animal’s current or recent location can call the DEP Hotline at 877-WARN-DEP."

Middlesex residents said on Facebook they've named the alligator "Larry."

If you see the alligator: Call Middlesex Police Department immediately at (732) 356-1900, ext. 0, or 911 or 877-WARN-DEP.

List of alligators found in New Jersey in recent years

It's more common than you might think:

Jan. 2023 Neptune Township: A man found a three-foot-long alligator in a plastic tub in an empty lot in Neptune Twp. on a freezing cold January night. It later turned out the man who claimed he "found" the alligator actually dumped it there and called 911, because he had the gator as a pet and no longer wanted it when it grew too big. Man Who "Found" Jersey Shore Alligator Actually Abandoned It: SPCA

September 2018 Old Bridge: A man out walking his dog found a two-foot-long baby alligator by Duhernal Lake in Spotswood/Old Bridge. Police think the alligator had been dropped there after someone no longer wanted it as a pet. In that instance, the baby alligator was captured by Old Bridge Police, see photos of it: Man Walking Dog Finds Alligator In Middlesex County

May 2017 Secaucus: A town DWP worker found a caiman in the Secaucus duck pond, which is very popular as a children's fishing pond. The Secaucus caiman was never found and Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli said he doubted it survived New Jersey's winter. Alligator Seen in New Jersey Duck Pond

2015 Elmwood Park: As Patch reported at the time, someone dumped an unwanted alligator in the Passaic River. That alligator was much bigger than all the others, anywhere from four to seven feet long, and it was spotted by a man fishing for carp, Elmwood Park Police Chief Michael Foligno said at the time. That alligator was captured in Elmwood Park.