Elvis the crocodile seizes a lawn mower from keepers at the Australian Reptile Park Reuters

A giant saltwater crocodile named Elvis charged at an Australian reptile park worker before stealing his lawn mower.

Tim Faulkner, operations manager at the Australian Reptile Park, north of Sydney, was one of three workers tending to the lawn in Elvis's enclosure on Wednesday when he heard the crocodile's keeper, Billy Collett, let out a yelp. Faulkner looked up to see the 5m-long,500kg crocodile lunging out of its lagoon at Collett, who warded the creature off with his mower.

"Before we knew it, the croc had the mower above his head," Faulkner said. "He got his jaws around the top of the mower and picked it up and took it underwater with him."

The workers quickly left the enclosure. Elvis, meanwhile, showed no signs of relinquishing his new toy and sat guarding it closely all morning.

Eventually, Faulkner realised he had no other choice but to go back in after the mower.

Collett lured Elvis to the opposite end of the lagoon with kangaroo meat while Faulkner plunged into the water. Before grabbing the mower, however, he had to search the bottom of the lagoon for two 7cm teeth Elvis lost during the encounter. He found them and escaped from the pool, unharmed and with the mower.

Elvis has a history of cranky behaviour and has occasionally confronted staff before, though this is the first time he has stolen something from workers. The crocodile was initially captured in the northern Australian city of Darwin, where he had been attacking fishing boats. He was then moved to a crocodile farm, where he killed two female crocodiles.

In 2008, he was relocated to the reptile park, where he has enjoyed living in his own enclosure.

"When they are the dominant croc, they're just full of testosterone," Faulkner said. "He's got his beautiful own yard, he wants to be a solitary creature. He's happy."

Despite having to give up the lawn mower, Elvis was clearly pleased with himself, Faulkner said.

"He's beaten us today … he's kingpin," Faulkner said. "He's going to be walking around with his chest puffed out all day."