Andover Police Officer Katie Kozikowski holds the 'alligator' found at Deer Jump Reservation. Photo: Andover Police Department
ANDOVER, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Andover police received a call to respond to Deer Jump Reservation for a report ... of an alligator.
Officer Katie Kozikowski along with two other officers were met at the location by the callers who said they were hiking the trail earlier when they made the shocking discovery.
As the officers approached the spot where the hikers said they saw the gator, no one was particularly anxious to get too close.
But as they closed in, anxiety was replaced with belly laughs as the gator turned out to be a well-camouflaged rubber toy placed in such a way to look like the real thing.
The toy alligator was removed to prevent anyone else from being on the receiving end of the prank.
Deer Jump Reservation is located along the Merrimack River.
Police said it's not the first time they received a call of an alligator in that area.
In 2012, a two-foot alligator was discovered swimming in the Merrimack Canal in Lowell and was eventually trapped.
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