Irwin the kangaroo had his first run-in with police six months ago, when he led officers on a chase around downtown Durango while wearing only diapers.
DURANGO, Colo. — Durango Police officers hopped into action when a four-legged suspect with a criminal history was caught trespassing this week. Irwin the kangaroo is now “Durango’s Most Unexpected Repeat Offender,” the department said.
Six months ago, Irwin led officers on a chase around Main Street after the kangaroo ran away from its owner, wearing nothing but a diaper.
Then, on Monday morning, the so-called escape artist struck again — officers had to round him up after he bounced his way into a neighbor’s backyard, according to police.
But, when officers arrived at the property, they realized that Irwin had grown significantly since the last time he had been captured and returned to his owner.
“From the previous call we’ve had with it, they got the kangaroo in a jacket, essentially acting like a pouch. I got there and saw the kangaroo and was like, ‘That’s not gonna work,'” said Durango Police Officer Shane Garrison.
So, the officers came up with a new plan: Garrison said that his team cornered Irwin in an alleyway before he took matters in his own hands.
“I was able to pet him a little bit, super nice, and I just was able to grab him,” Garrison said.
Bodycam footage of the encounter shows Irwin sitting calmly in Garrison’s arms as he’s carried out of the backyard and put into a police vehicle, before being reunited with his owner.
Exactly how Irwin keeps escaping remains under investigation.
“[The owner’s] having a difficult time keeping the kangaroo in with how big he’s getting,” Garrison said. “We suspect maybe he’s getting out of the door. We don’t know exactly how he’s getting out, but it’s more so just to help him keep the kangaroo safe and the community safe.”
Having a red kangaroo pet is legal in Colorado. Durango Police Commander Nick Stasi encouraged anyone who owns animals — kangaroos or otherwise — to take the necessary steps to ensure their pets are safe.
“We just want people to understand that with the right to own any animal, there’s also responsibility to properly care for it,” said Durango Police Cmdr. Nick Stasi. “And we encourage all pet owners to do take the steps necessary to make sure their pets are safe.”
> Watch the body camera video below: