Inside the Sting Operation to Catch Florida’s Alligator Thieves
Inside the Sting Operation to Catch Florida’s Alligator Thieves  
Podcast: Lawless Planet
Published On: Mon Jan 12 2026
Description: When Florida state wildlife officials begin to suspect that someone is illegally harvesting alligator eggs, they launch Operation Alligator Thief. At its heart: a veteran officer named Jeff Babauta, who delays his retirement to go deep undercover as a real Florida Man, hoping to infiltrate the insular world of gator farming.Featured in this episode:Jeff BabautaRebecca RennerSources:Rebecca Renner’s book Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the EvergladesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.