This is the moment heroic cops leap on a lost ‘gator as it roams around a city car park.

Officers seized the huge beast in Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina, USA, over the weekend.

The police said they successfully placed the alligator into custody before “safely relocating” it.

The City of Charleston Police Department (CPD) said on 23rd May: “Fa-GATOR-bout it! The brave women and men of CPD’s animal control, harbor patrol, and Daniel Island patrol encountered another lost alligator over the weekend.

“They got this big guy safely relocated out of a parking garage!”

The police department accompanied the post with the hashtags ‘see ya later alligator’, ‘dedicated investiGATORS’, ‘this is becoming a thing’, and ‘cuff him’.

In the footage, five cops are seen leaping onto the alligator, already blindfolded and restrained with rope, in the car park.

Meanwhile, at least one resident is seen filming the capture on his phone near the car park entrance.

Officers close the alligator’s mouth and use duct tape to keep it closed while applying weight to its bulky body to prevent it from thrashing around.

They then move its little forelimbs behind its back and suggest “handcuffing” the animal with duct tape.

It is unclear if the reptile was charged with committing an offence before being released.