Some thieves got more than they bargained for when they stole a van from outside a circus in Germany, that had a sleeping lion inside.
They abandoned the vehicle after crashing into a road sign in the western city of Wuppertal.
Police later had the van towed away to a depot - unaware that the five-year-old lion was inside.
The lion appeared unhurt when a lion tamer arrived to reclaim him. The thieves got away.
Copyright WENN.com. Independent Online contributed to this report.
