A huge crocodile sparked panic as it rampaged through a grocery store in Indonesia.

The 10ft beast sent terrified shoppers fleeing as it scurried through the cereal aisles of the shop on Sunday evening.

Footage shows the lumbering reptile slipping as it struggles to drag its wet body across the tiled floor.

Shocked store staff called firefighters for help at the Fujiyama supermarket in the village of Wayo, North Maluku province.

The officers spent an hour trying to steer the animal away from the shelves using a stepladder. They drove it outside the store and tied it up to be returned to the nearby swamp.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Adnan Wahyu, Chief of the Taliabu Island Police, said: 'The crocodile came from the swamp next to the Wayo Roundabout, about 20 metres from the store.

'The evacuation took over an hour. The crocodile was secured by three Taliabu firefighters. The fire department team released the crocodile back into the water, which we believe is its home.'

The police chief added that the crocodile may have wandered into the residential area as its natural habitat was flooded by recent heavy rain.

Officials said that nobody was attacked by the crocodile but they warned residents to take extra care.

Commissioner Adnan said: 'There has been a lot of rain recently, so more crocodiles could come up from the water. Anyone who sees them should call the police.'

Indonesia has the highest number of crocodile attack cases in the world. In 2024, there were 179 attacks, resulting in 92 fatalities.

Conservationists believe the rise in urban development is partly to blame, with homes, farms and mines being built on the territory of the reptiles.

Earlier this month, a father was killed by a crocodile in front of his horrified family. Arifuddin, 53, was bathing with relatives along the banks of the Bulete River when the beast latched onto his leg in South Sulawesi.