Have you seen Abe the Armadillo? He got away from Nebraska police during a chase

The armadillo was running around downtown Lincoln, Nebraska, when police tried to catch the armored-critter.

Officer Andrew Vocasek spotted the nine-banded armadillo while investigating the report of a suspicious vehicle early Tuesday morning, the Lincoln Journal-Star reported.

Vocasek tried for a “positive police contact,” but the armadillo “was having none of it,” the Lincoln Police Department posted to twitter at about 3:45 a.m. Tuesday.

The department also posted a video of the armadillo running near 13th and O St., which is near several businesses, including Walgreens, Jimmy John’s and some banks.

It was “for real real,” the department’s late-night shift tweeted — in GIF form, of course.

But the chase didn’t end well for Vocasek.

The armadillo was able to sneak away and disappear into an alley in Nebraska’s state capital, the department tweeted.

This sneaky, quick critter — now named Abe the Armadillo — appeared “happy and healthy” when he escaped the police chase.

Now, the department asks that you let it know if you see the state’s “newest mascot.”

“Plz @ us with any sightings,” the tweet says.

Animal Control manager Steve Beal told KOLN that it was notified about the armadillo.

“Downtown Lincoln is a busy place with lots of cars so we’re a little worried for him,” Beal told the station. In 2015 the Journal-Star reported that armadillos are a “rare sight” in Nebraska, but the armored critters have been migrating up north to the Midwest.

Earlier this month a turtle who was crossing the road also escaped from an officer who was trying to help, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

“I’m trying to help you,” the Texas sheriff was heard saying in the video. But the turtle turned on the jets and scuffled away.

This story was originally published July 25, 2018 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Have you seen Abe the Armadillo? He got away from Nebraska police during a chase."