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Miami Herald
3 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Stubborn 7-foot alligator refuses to leave swimming pool, Florida video shows
An alligator in Florida has become a hot topic on social media after it magically appeared at the bottom of a home's swimming pool. The debate is over how it got there, given the pool is surrounded by a wooden fence about 6 feet high that's designed to withstand storms. It happened Saturday, May 31, at a home in Jensen Beach and video shows deputies found the 7-foot gator was making a comically bad attempt to blend into the aqua colored bottom of the pool. A trapper was summoned and his efforts to pull the alligator off the bottom resulted in a tug-of-war that went from one side of the pool to the other. The video ends with the gator being dragged through a gate. Deputies aren't sure how it got there, but there are only two realistic possibilities: 'It's believed the gator either climbed over or found its way under the fencing,' the Martin County Sheriff's Office wrote in a Facebook post. The video had been viewed more than 321,000 times as of June 3 and amassed 2,100 reactions and comments, many from people in disbelief. 'Fully fenced yard? Yikes,' Colleen Marie wrote. 'That high (a fence) without sliding back down?' Danielle Rosario wrote. 'I've lived here since 1970. I've seen gators climb chain link, wooden, vinyl fences. ... And screen(ed) enclosures. ... If there's a body of water in Florida … always assume a gator, croc, snake, bear, or any wildlife could be lurking beneath the waters,' Debbie Williams said. 'I don't think it should have been a wooden fence, it should have been a concrete infilled taller fence,' Ella Maria wrote. Water attracts alligators but experts say there is another reason it may have strayed into the yard. 'This unusual encounter is an important reminder: it's mating season for alligators,' the sheriff's office wrote. 'During this time, they become much more active and may travel into areas they don't typically frequent — including fully fenced yards like this one.' Jensen Beach is about a 110-mile drive north from Miami.
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
Alligator found in Florida backyard pool: Watch the moment it was captured
Alligator found in Florida backyard pool: Watch the moment it was captured Some residents in Jensen Beach, Florida, got an unexpected backyard visitor over the weekend when they found a 7-foot alligator going for a swim in their pool. When officers responded to a home in the Pinecrest Lakes neighborhood on May 31, they found the gator "completely unfazed by its unexpected audience," the Martin County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post. After enlisting the help of professional trapper Matt Hines, the alligator was trapped and removed from the pool, the MCSO said. The reptile made it into the pool despite the home's pool being fully fenced in, the post said. Officers said they believe the alligator either climbed over or found its way under the fencing. While the encounter is abnormal, it happens more often than expected, officers said. In fact, it was the second call that day for an alligator found swimming in a residential pool, the department said. Watch: Gator found in pool tries to evade capture with 'death spiral' Watch as this scaly intruder does a death roll in neighborhood pool Local authorities had to call a professional trapper to help remove a 7 foot uninvited guest from a Florida resident's pool. In a video posted to Facebook, the alligator is seen trying to evade capture by using what's known as the "death roll" or "death spiral," MCSO said. The animals use a full-body twisting motion to kill prey, according to the University of Tennessee. The species can't chew, so it uses a powerful bite coupled with the roll technique to attack prey. In this case, the gator used the death roll as a defense mechanism, officials said. "As you can see by the powerful 'death spiral,' an alligator's natural defense tactic, it is not safe to attempt to remove a gator unless you are a trained professional," MCSO's post said. Police warn about alligator mating season The MCSO also said the incident serves as a reminder that it's mating season for alligators. "During this time, they become much more active and may travel into areas they don't typically frequent — including fully fenced yards like this one," the MCSO said. The department cautioned residents and pet owners to stay alert for alligators, which can be dangerous if provoked. If you spot an alligator, keep your distance and call for help, police said. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at
New York Post
14-05-2025
- New York Post
Russian national allegedly stole luxury yacht, led Florida police on massive boat chase years after being granted asylum in the US
A Russian national accused of jacking a massive luxury yacht and leading authorities in Florida on a boat chase where SWAT officers had to be deployed to secure the vessel was granted asylum in the US. Nikolai Vilkov, 29, was arrested on May 5 after the Martin County Sheriff's Office and other agencies had to use smaller boats to pin the stolen 68-foot, two-million-dollar yacht against the shoreline in Jupiter Island, Sheriff John Budensiek said in a press conference. Budensiek said the 'bizarre' ordeal started at around 1:07 a.m., when Vilkov is suspected of stealing a tow boat just hours before the chase. 5 Nikolai Vilka, a Russian national, is seen being arrested after allegedly stealing a yacht and getting into a massive police chase in Florida. Martin County Sheriff's Office Investigators found the suspect at the Lucky Shuck restaurant in Jupiter, then wandering around by the boats docked in the marina near the bar around 2 a.m. Minutes later, Vilkov allegedly took control of a tow boat and headed north. His first boat-jacking ended when the vessel got stuck on a sandbar and he was forced to flee the scene and walk down US 1 Highway, Budensiek said. Investigators said they lost sight of Vilkov's whereabouts from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. until he was spotted chatting with people at the Tiki 52 Bar & Grill near the Blowing Rocks Marina. Budensiek said witnesses told police they saw the suspect getting on and off the 68-foot yacht, but he was able to blend in like he belonged. 5 Vilka is seen being chased by police after stealing the luxury yacht. Martin County Sheriff's Office The marina's dockmaster reported the luxury vessel had been stolen at 3:55 p.m. Authorities deployed multiple boats that 'locked on to' the vessel, but were at an 'extreme tactical disadvantage.' 'We're talking about a three-story yacht, 68-foot, and our vessels with one or two marine officers were not suited to safely take those individuals into custody,' Budensiek said. Police had shut down the Hobe Sound bridge, a drawbridge on Indian River, in an attempt to end the chase, but were forced to open it for safety reasons when Vilkov got closer. However, about a quarter mile later, Vilkov appeared to have trouble maneuvering the yacht, giving the police boats and SWAT officers on the shore the chance to take back the ship. 5 Police boats were able to pin the stolen vessel against the shoreline. Martin County Sheriff's Office SWAT operators used tear gas and breaching rounds on the yacht as it was pinned down, then called out for the suspect to surrender, but got no response. Vilkov surrendered to authorities and was taken into custody. He told investigators that he spoke little English, but they weren't buying the excuse. 'We do know that he interacted with Jupiter police earlier in the day,' Budensiek said. 'We know he interacted with people in the docks, so we don't really believe him in that regard.' The Department of Homeland Security used a Russian translator for the interview, where Vilkov was 'caught in a multitude of lies' and tried to 'frame that he was insane.' 5 Vilkov surrendered to authorities and was taken into custody. Martin County Sheriff's Office Investigators found that the Vilkov had a wife and child and that they flew from Turkey to Mexico in November 2022. They were granted asylum in Mexico and allowed to enter the US through the Southern border during the Biden administration in December 2022, Budensiek revealed. While Vilkov's whereabouts from 2022 to 2025 are unknown, his driver's license shows that he's from Charlotte, North Carolina. His wife and child also flew back to Russia from the US in April 2024. 5 Investigators found that Vilka and his family were granted asylum in Mexico and allowed to enter the US through the Southern border during the Biden administration in December 2022, Budensiek revealed. Martin County Sheriff's Office 'This does highlight a problem that we've seen with immigration, illegal immigration specifically. We don't know what he did in Russia,' Budensiek said. 'We know he showed up on the Mexican border; he was allowed into our country, but we have no idea what his criminal history is overseas. So we could be dealing with a real bad guy or not, but we're just not sure.' Investigators have yet to uncover any prior run-ins with the law that Vilkov has had since being in the US. His motives for stealing the 68-foot yacht, or how he knew how to operate it, remain a mystery. Authorities speculated that Vilkov was stealing the ship to the 'Bahamas for a smuggling venture,' but they weren't 'able to verify that.' Vilkov is being held without bond and charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing and eluding, and resisting arrest without violence. 'He has an ICE detainer on him, and the next time he steals a vessel… it'll be back in Russia, not here in the United States,' Budensiek said. 'When he serves his time here, he'll be deported out of our country.'
American Military News
09-05-2025
- American Military News
Russian national arrested after stealing $2.5 million yacht, forcing police chase
Police officials confirmed on Monday that the Department of Homeland Security was aiding a police investigation after a Russian national stole a $2.5 million yacht in Florida. In a Monday statement on Facebook, the Martin County Sheriff's Office announced that it had 'identified the individual who stole a 66-foot luxury yacht from a Tequesta marina as Nikolai Vilka, a Russian national.' The Martin County Sheriff's Office explained that the Department of Homeland Security was 'en route' to the sheriff's office with a Russian interpreter to help with the investigation since the Russian national claimed that he was not able to speak English. 'Earlier this evening, Vilka stole the yacht from Blowing Rocks Marina and attempted to flee from deputies through the Intracoastal Waterway,' the Martin County Sheriff's Office said. 'The dockmaster reported the vessel stolen, prompting a swift and coordinated response. Ground units, marine units, and MCSO Air One assisted in the pursuit.' READ MORE: Pics: Two shipwrecks confirmed as slave ships by archaeologists Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek explained that police officials were notified at roughly 4 p.m. on Monday that a 68-foot yacht had been stolen. 'This is a first for me and a first for the Sheriff's Office that I'm aware of where we had a situation like this,' Budensiek told WPBF 25 News. 'Because it's such an unbelievable story, we started reaching out and trying to find out if this is a repo deal or if there was somebody allowed to use this vessel.' After confirming that the yacht was likely stolen, sheriff's deputies were dispatched in multiple ships to chase the stolen yacht. Budensiek told WPBF 25 News that the chase was difficult because the sheriff's deputies had much smaller boats. 'They're lower. They're looking up. They can't tell what they're looking at,' Budensiek stated. 'And had he had the firepower, he could have caused problems for our deputies.' WPBF 25 News reported that Budensiek said the Russian national did not have a weapon and that no shots were fired during the chase. Budensiek explained that the deputies were eventually able to catch up with the stolen vessel. 'They were bowing to the side of that vessel and just shoved him as he was trying to get forward momentum. They just shoved him up into the mangroves,' Budensiek said. 'They grounded him to where he could not move forward anymore.' 'We're investigating the fact that it's part of a larger organization,' the sheriff added. 'You know, a Russian coming into South Martin County and stealing a 68-foot, $2,500,000 yacht is just not something that you see.'
Metro
06-05-2025
- Metro
Deputies chase down and surround stolen luxury yacht and bust hijacker
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Sheriff's deputies embarked on boat chase in Florida and hunted down a stolen luxury yacht and busted the hijacker, who turned out to be Russian national. The 66-foot yacht was stolen from the Blowing Rocks Marina near Tequesta on Monday afternoon and driven along the Intercoastal Waterway in Hobe Sound, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office. Video footage from the scene showed six armed deputies hopping onto a boat and speeding off in the body of water to pursue the hijacker. The suspect on the yacht was 'attempting to evade capture' as sheriff's marine and ground units, SWAT team members and detectives closed in and prepared to jump on board, stated the sheriff's office on Facebook. 'He was behind three levels of tinted windows that we could not see in and then our deputies were responding they had riffles, but they had no cover,' Sheriff John Budensiek told CBS12. The suspect maneuvered toward the Hobe Sound Bridge and officials let the yacht through to prevent damage to the land structure, but the chase didn't last too long afterward. Units quickly surrounded the yacht and forced it to come to a halt along a stretch of shrubbery. Some of the deputies pointed rifles at the luxury vessel as the suspect was apprehended. 'AND CAPTURED!' wrote the sheriff's office, along with the hashtag #WrongInlet. The suspect, wearing an orange lifejacket, was pictured sitting cross-legged at the front of the yacht as two deputies held him on each side. Other photos showed him appearing downcast as they escorted him onto a tender boat and onto a dock and back to land. He was identified as Nikolai Vilka and did not speak English, so the Department of Homeland Security brought a Russian interpreter to assist in the investigation. No further information was immediately released around Vilka. 'We're trying to figure out where he came from, what was he doing and what he was trying to do with the vessel,' said Budensiek. 'But there's a lot of questions we have.' More Trending The yacht was reported stolen by the dockmaster. 'Our guys were confident, our supervisors were confident that boat was not going to go very far without some real trouble from the Martin County Sheriff's Office,' said Budensiek. Tequesta is about 20 miles north of West Palm Beach. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Pastor mysteriously found dead in position resembling a crucifixion MORE: Elon Musk reveals terrifying reason Mars is 'life insurance for humanity' MORE: Mark Carney tells Trump 'Canada will never be for sale' in White House meeting
