Residents in the sleepy French town of Armentieres got a major shock Wednesday evening when a large black panther was seen patrolling the suburbs, and this was no Marvel superhero.

Calls flooded in to local authorities at around 6:30pm Wednesday that the powerful animal was spotted prowling the city streets... er, roofs.

The big cat “sometimes stopped to watch the train pass” or watch nearby traffic pass by, according to local residents, who nonchalantly claimed the cat’s owner is away on vacation, though this has yet to be confirmed by authorities.

« Ce monde devient fou » C’est un mantra que je répète régulièrement...Tu sors promener ton chien après le boulot, tu vois flics et pompiers au loin... Et là, stupeur, on t’annonce qu’une panthère noire se balade sur les chêneaux !!! 😱Images ci-dessous chopées sur FB ⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/HW0BsK4qwX — antonbundle (@antonbundle) September 18, 2019

During its rooftop escapades, which lasted for over an hour, the roughly 30-kilo animal briefly gained access to an apartment through an open window.

The police acted quickly and established a security cordon while the fire department secured the animal inside its new apartment by blocking the window with a ladder from the street below, trapping the inquisitive feline inside before the brigade’s vet tranquillized it safely.

Also on rt.com Wildlife charity boss sparks fury after smashing birthday cake in pet lion’s face (VIDEO)

The animal was then placed in a cage before being handed over to the local humane society before it will eventually be rehomed in a zoo. That is, unless its owner comes to claim it.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!