Rowdy raccoon raids Virginia liquor store, passes out drunk in bathroom
However, the masked bandit is okay and has been taken to shelter to sober up before questioning
An employee at a store selling alcohol in Ashland, in the US state of Virginia, dealt with an unusual weekend break-in on starting their Saturday shift.
After finding bottles smashed and booze pooled on the floor, a trip to the bathroom revealed a semi-conscious raccoon.
The ABC Store employee called the local Hanover County Animal Protection agency, which dispatched officer Samantha Martin to the scene.
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"The suspect? A very intoxicated raccoon," the group wrote in a Facebook post. "Officer Martin safely secured our masked bandit and transported him back to shelter to sober up before questioning."
Black Friday break-in
Martin was able to piece the puzzle together on inspection.
"He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything," she said.
The Hanover County shelter confirmed that the foraging urban omnivore, affectionately nicknamed a "trash panda" in the US because of its checkered facial features and predilection for plunder, had recovered after some R&R.
"After a few hours of sleep and zero signs of injury (other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices), he was safely released back to the wild, hopefully having learned that breaking and entering is not the answer," it wrote.
