Police called to reports of a 'tiger' roaming rooftops in Murcia

Residents in Molina de Segura contacted police after spotting what they believed was a dangerous animal roaming across rooftops

Residents in the town of Molina de Segura got quite a fright this week after several people became convinced there was a tiger loose on rooftops and nearby streets.

This unusual incident took place on Monday May 25, when Local Police received a number of calls from worried neighbours reporting a 'dangerous animal' or what some described as a 'strange creature' wandering around the area. With no idea what they might find, several patrols headed quickly to the scene in case it was a potentially dangerous dog, or something even more exotic.

But when officers arrived, the dramatic situation turned out to be far less dangerous than expected. The 'tiger' was actually an enormous teddy bear sitting on a rooftop.

Police later joked about the mix-up on social media, saying the operation ended successfully after locating the 'fierce specimen', an XXL tiger teddy bear. No one was hurt, but police said the confusion was enough to get a few hearts racing, with some officers also taking a moment before approaching!

The story quickly sparked plenty of jokes online, with people commenting that residents might need glasses or pointing out that it is still far too early for April Fools' Day.

One local even revealed they had spotted the same tiger teddy lying in the street a few days earlier and admitted it looked surprisingly real until they got close enough to realise it was a toy.

Strangely enough, it is not the first time something like this has happened in the Region of Murcia. Around eight years ago, police in Sangonera la Seca were also called out after reports of a tiger hiding beneath a tree, only to discover another stuffed animal causing panic.

Read also:Four Iberian Lynx kittens born in the wild in the highlands of Lorca

Image: Local Police Molina de Segura