Florida alligator strolls up outside Publix to ‘pick up a Pub Sub’ sandwich, officers joke

An alligator, perhaps hungry for a classic “Pub Sub,” found itself re-rerouted recently when he was picked up by a pair of Florida officers.

The Pinellas Park Police Department said someone called 911 on Thursday evening to report a large alligator near 49th Street and Park Boulevard near the Publix grocery store, according to Lt. Roxanne Pohl.

She said the alligator was initially seen walking along the sidewalk and “at the time, follow[ed] all traffic laws.”

At some point, the alligator made it to the parking lot.

“We can only speculate that he was on his way to pick up a Pub Sub,” the police department said in a Facebook post.

Someone with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded and helped catch the alligator, which was relocated to a nearby body of water.

Neither the alligator nor anyone else was hurt, the department said.

Alligators are no stranger to Florida.

In fact, millions are located through the state in ponds, rivers, swamps, marshes, and lakes.

While bites are considered to be rare, they do happen each year and can sometimes be deadly.

The FWC recommends the following tips to coexist with alligators: never feed one, keep pets away from the edge of lakes, ponds, and streams; keep your distance, and only swim in designated areas.