9-foot gator caught after 'stalking dog walkers'

Deputies in Martin County said a 9-foot alligator was wrangled after the reptile was "stalking" people walking their dogs.

In a Wednesday post on the agency's Facebook page, the sheriff's office said the alligator was hiding in a patch of sea grapes in the Sailfish Point neighborhood.

Authorities said the gator was spotted days earlier crossing from the riverside to the beachside and concealing itself near a popular walking area.

The reptile returned Tuesday to the beachside and moved into the lanai of a community condominium, the agency said.

"The gator was indeed too close for comfort for dog walkers and the community," the Facebook post said.

Deputies were able to contain the gator while a professional trapper was called to remove it. The sheriff's office said the reptile was captured and relocated.

The sheriff's office want people to be aware that alligators live on the riverside and occasionally travel to the beachside.

"If you are walking your pet anywhere near an area like this, please keep your eyes peeled for patches of brush or sea grapes, which can serve as concealment for these reptiles," the sheriff's office said.