Police: Men Leave Alligator Inside Florida Wawa

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (CBS Local) -- Customers at a Florida Wawa found an unexpected and unusual surprise in the middle of the night last week after an alligator was dumped inside the store.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office got a call at 2:24 a.m. last Friday about a three-foot alligator dropped off by a pair of men inside the Lakewood Ranch Wawa. Sheriff's Office spokesman Dave Bristow said that authorities called the Fish and Wildlife Commission to take care of the gator, which had apparently suffered some sort of injury.

The alligator was trapped and removed from the store, officials said.

Police are now searching for the two men that brought the alligator to the Wawa.

Anyone with any information about the case can call FWC's Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922.