Police were shocked to find a ravenous pig "munching its way" through a neighbour's gardens.
The cheeky animal was making a mess by eating people's greenery, with officers notified of its behaviour by residents living in the Southtown area of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on Saturday morning.
PCs Joe Pike and Richard Blado were given the job of keeping an eye on the hungry hog, and looking after him.
Posting on Facebook, Great Yarmouth Police wrote: "As an officer, you think you’ve seen it all, but PCs Joe Pike and Richard Bladon had a new experience on Saturday morning (13 August) after they were called to the rescue of a big black piggy munching its way through gardens in the Southtown area of Yarmouth."
Initial inquiries suggested the pig belonged to someone as a pet, but the owner has not been identified.
Deciding it "seemed a bit harsh to arrest the pig for criminal damage", the officers instead handed the hog into a local animal sanctuary.
PCs Joe Pike and Richard Bladon said they were grateful to Hillside Animal Sanctuary for taking the pig in 'before he turned to bacon in the heat".
Meanwhile, a breeder has noticed a recent surge in people adopting pigs as pets and coined it the "piggy boom".
The rise in micro pigs at home comes as rescue shelters exceed full capacity and new puppy owners fear the costs of caring for a dog will be too expensive long term.
It is estimated that keeping a pig costs less than £50 per month, a massive saving compared to the £250 average to care for a canine.
Olivia Mikhail, owner of ethical micro pig breeder Kew Little Pigs, said: "Everyone talks about the puppy boom, but now there is a piggy boom!"
Families across the UK are proving that pigs can live at home just like dogs, wag their tails, go for walks and be taught tricks such as agility, 'sit' and 'stay'.
Lisa and Mark Thomas, and their two children, Olivia, 13, and Oscar, seven, welcomed micro pig Biscuit into their family in Worcestershire.
Lisa said: "She has brought so much love and joy into our lives. She sleeps in our house at night on her dog bed, and she has blankets in it for rooting a nuzzling.
"At night-time she knows when it's time to settle down. We have a pool in the garden, and she goes in for a swim. She has her own pool float that she likes to sit on too.
"All the things you get from having a dog we get from Biscuit, she gets excited when the kids come home from school, she is one of the family."
