A brazen raccoon has been apprehended and removed from a local alcohol shop after helping itself to a cocktail of drinks.
The masked bandit snuck into the liquor store in the US state of Virginia on Saturday, where it embarked on a boozy rampage of the lower shelves.
After responding to a call at the Ashland ABC Store, the officer discovered one aisle with a puddle of alcohol and several smashed bottles.
All the broken bottles appeared to be spirits.
Upon further inspection of the crime scene, the officer found the suspect nursing its hangover in bathroom.
Pictured by Officer Samantha Martin of the Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter, the intoxicated raccoon was found splayed out on its belly between the store’s bathroom bin and the toilet.
In a post titled “Suspect Apprehended After Liquor-Fueled Rampage”, Officer Martin described her first impressions of the scene.
“On Saturday morning, Officer Martin responded to an unusual call at the Ashland ABC Store.
Officer Samantha Martin arrived at the scene to discover puddles of alcohol and several smashed bottles
|HANOVER COUNTY ANIMAL PROTECTION AND SHELTER
“Upon arrival, she discovered the ‘suspect’ had broken in, ransacked several shelves, and then… passed out in the bathroom.
“The suspect? A very intoxicated raccoon.
“Officer Martin safely secured our masked bandit and transported him back to the shelter to sober up before questioning.
“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.
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The masked bandit was found in the store's toilets
|HANOVER COUNTY ANIMAL PROTECTION AND SHELTER
“A big shout-out to Officer Martin for handling this chaotic scene with professionalism and good humor.
“Just another day in the life at Hanover Animal Protection!”
Officer Martin said: “I personally like raccoons. They are funny little critters. He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything.”
Although there are pictures of the aftermath taken by the animal protection officer, there is no CCTV of the incident due to the raccoon disabling the security system.
It is understood that when the animal entered the building through the ceiling, it took the camera down with it.
The store thanked Officer Martin for her help and for "providing our visitor with a sober ride home”.
The Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter helps rescued animals if they are found in the wild.
“The shelter provides veterinarian care for homeless or unwanted animals until they are adopted or placed with an animal rescue organization,” the shelter's website reads.
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