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Extra.ie
30-07-2025
- Extra.ie
Three-day reptile terror for town turns out to be child's toy
What appeared to be a crocodile lurking near the river of a quiet Italian town turned out to be nothing more than an inflatable child's toy, leaving locals slightly embarrassed after a three-day panic. Authorities in Ladispoli, near Rome, sprang into action after reports of a crocodile floating in the Sanguinara River. Police and animal control officers even deployed drones in an effort to track the supposed reptile. Photos and videos quickly circulated on social media and in local chat groups, showing what many assumed was a real croc. However, no one seemed to notice the toy was always in the exact same position – and never actually moved. Pic: ladispoli_official/Instagram The mystery was solved when one local woman revealed to media that the croc was in fact 'a toy we leave here for other children to play with.' She also said that a 'large dinosaur' toy had previously been left in the same area. Despite the innocent explanation, local officials were far from amused and are now considering legal action for 'causing alarm' — though it remains unclear who they plan to hold responsible. Earlier this week, Mayor Alessandro Grando had issued a public warning urging residents to be cautious. In a follow-up post shared on Facebook, he admitted the whole thing had been a 'false alarm'. 'After the necessary checks that have been carried out, we can finally confirm that there are no dangerous reptiles in the Sanguinara River,' Mr Grando wrote. 'Although it was an unlikely circumstance, the competent authorities carried out all necessary checks to exclude any potential risk to the public. 'Following investigations, the following emerged: a citizen of Ladispoli declared that she had placed a toy in the playground adjacent to the waterway, matching the photos that have been circulating in recent days, which someone had deliberately placed in the river, causing the chaos that ensued. 'This is reckless behavior that we will pursue with a complaint against unknown persons for causing alarm. 'With this communication, we can finally put this matter to rest, reassuring everyone that there is no risk and that it was just a joke in terrible taste. 'We thank the police, volunteers, and all citizens for their cooperation and patience.'
Metro
30-07-2025
- Metro
Crocodile that terrorised town for three days turned out to be an inflatable toy
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video An Italian town has been left red-faced after a crocodile floating in its river turned out to be an inflatable toy. Police and animal control officers brought in drones to track down the reptile as it floated in the Sanguinara river near Ladispoli. Pictures and videos of the toy were shared around the town and on social media, although nobody seemed to pick up on the fact that the croc was always in an identical pose and never seen moving. The search went on for about three days – until the crocodile was finally revealed to simply be an inflatable toy. One woman who spoke to local media said the crocodile was a 'toy we leave here for other children to play with', adding a 'large dinosaur' toy had also been left in the same area. Now the town's authorities are threatening legal action for 'causing alarm' – but it's not known who they will direct the complaint against. Earlier this week the town's mayor, Alessandro Grando, issued a press release warning residents to be careful. In an updated statement shared on Facebook last night he admitted the incident had been a 'false alarm'. Mr Grando said: 'After the necessary checks that have been carried out, we can finally confirm that there are no dangerous reptiles in the Sanguinara River. 'Although it was an unlikely circumstance, the competent authorities carried out all necessary checks to exclude any potential risk to the public. More Trending 'Following investigations, the following emerged: a citizen of Ladispoli declared that she had placed a toy in the playground adjacent to the waterway, matching the photos that have been circulating in recent days, which someone had deliberately placed in the river, causing the chaos that ensued. 'This is reckless behavior that we will pursue with a complaint against unknown persons for causing alarm. 'With this communication, we can finally put this matter to rest, reassuring everyone that there is no risk and that it was just a joke in terrible taste. 'We thank the police, volunteers, and all citizens for their cooperation and patience.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Sister of Sicilian mafia's 'last godfather' freed from prison MORE: Girl, 3, unaware 7ft constrictor snake was slithering in her bedroom while she played MORE: World's best pizza chef reveals 'horrendous' ingredient he'll never use
