Runaway Tortoise Leads Cop On ‘Slowest Foot Pursuit Ever’
He has no regret 😂
Sure, slow and steady may win the race. But unfortunately for this tortoise named Seashell, it wasn’t quite enough to escape the law.
For the past 15 years, Seashell has been the cherished pet of Mayda Garcia and her family in Texas. There, he’s provided with plenty of love and treats, and a spacious backyard to call his own. One thing is lacking from his cozy domestic life, though — and that’s unbridled adventure.
But it hasn’t stopped Seashell from seeking it out.
Over the years, Seashell has seized the opportunity to slip away from home on a number of different occasions.
One notable incident occurred in 2021 when he managed to break through a wooden gate to explore the world beyond.
Fortunately, Seashell didn’t get too far. A neighbor spotted him and reported it to the police, who then picked him up and returned him home.
This, however, wouldn’t be Seashell’s last brush with the cops.
Earlier this week, Deputy Joe Garza of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office was on patrol when he spotted a tortoise wandering down the street. Garza knew just who to contact.
“[He] reported it to his supervisor, who was the same Sergeant that had found a tortoise roaming in the area over a year prior,” the sheriff’s office wrote online. “The sergeant knew this had to be the escape artist, Seashell!”
And sure enough, he was right.
Seashell evidently tried to make a break for it — but was soon apprehended. Yet again.
The fugitive tortoise had racked up quite the criminal record for a reptile. But in the back of the squad car, he showed little regret.
Thanks to Seashell’s prior run-in with the law, authorities knew where the tortoise lives, and returned him home just as they had done before.
Garcia and her family were relieved that he’d been found safe and sound.
For his part in the arrest, Deputy Garza was awarded a new title — that of Official Tortoise Wranger — and a certificate which read in part:
“Seashell absconded from his enclosure and was captured without incident. This is officially the slowest foot pursuit ever conducted by a Bexar County Deputy.”
According to Garcia, she has since fixed the fence through which Seashell managed his latest escape. Only time will tell, however, if that will be enough to keep the runaway tortoise from his adventure-seeking ways.
But with a lifespan that can stretch well over a century, time is something Seashell has plenty of.
