Why Was There A Tank Driving Around This Palmetto Bay Neighborhood?

It's not a bird or a plane, but what looked like a military tank was spotted driving around a South Florida neighborhood. Cutler Bay Social, a Facebook page, shared a video of the tank in Palmetto Bay on Sunday (January 11). Commentators wondered if it was part of some military operation.

The Florida National Guard said the tank was not part of its fleet, according to Local 10. Military experts added that it looks like a British combat vehicle.

The city of Palmetto Bay got complaints about the tank, so they dispatched a code compliance officer to a nearby home Monday (January 12). Miami-Dade police officers were also seen leaving the residence. It turns out that the tank was part of a resident's private collection, reporters learned.

The police department also released a statement on the matter:

“Miami-Dade Police Department, Village of Palmetto Bay units received reports of a military-style vehicle observed on the Village roads. They looked into the matter and confirmed that the vehicle belongs to a private collector of decommissioned, surplus military items. The vehicle in question is demilitarized and unarmed. It was purchased as a collector item and was being delivered to the owner at the time that the video circulating social media was taken.”

Neighbors were reportedly unhappy about the presence of the vehicle, especially in close quarters.

“It’s a poor choice of timing to have military equipment like that in a residential neighborhood,” resident James Woodard told Local 10. “Obviously they have more money than sense.”

Photo: Getty Images