A masked burglar caused chaos at a Virginia liquor store early Saturday — but this culprit wasn’t human.
According to The Associated Press, the intruder struck the bottom shelf, where scotch and whisky were stored, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
Bottles were smashed, a ceiling tile collapsed, and spilled alcohol pooled across the floor.
The “burglar” turned out to be a raccoon.
Saturday morning, an employee at the Ashland-area store discovered the inebriated trash panda passed out on the bathroom floor at the end of his drunken spree.
“I personally like raccoons,” said Samantha Martin, a local animal control officer. “They are funny little critters. He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything.”
Martin said she collected the raccoon and took him to the animal shelter, laughing at the bizarre scene along the way.
“Another day in the life of an animal control officer, I guess,” she said.
The Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter praised Martin for her handling of the incident.
Officials confirmed that after a few hours of sleep and no serious injuries — aside from what might be described as a hangover — the raccoon had sobered up.
“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,” the agency said.
The story left locals amused at the unusual combination of wildlife mischief and a liquor-fueled rampage.
It serves as a reminder that sometimes, even the most carefully secured stores can face an unexpected nighttime intruder — one with a tail and a penchant for spirits.
For Samantha Martin, it was just another day on the job — though she admitted she might be telling this tale for years to come.
