An employee at a Ashland, Virginia-area liquor store found the trash panda passed out on the bathroom floor at the end of his drunken escapade.
ASHLAND, Va. — A late-night break-in at a Virginia liquor store turned out to be less of a criminal mastermind and more of a furry troublemaker.
Early Saturday morning, a raccoon snuck into a closed ABC store in Ashland and headed straight for the lowest shelves — where bottles of whisky and scotch were stocked. By the time he was done, glass was shattered, a ceiling tile was knocked down, and alcohol was spilled everywhere.
Employees reviewing security footage quickly realized the culprit was no ordinary burglar — just a raccoon on an unexpected adventure.
When staff arrived that morning, they discovered the tipsy bandit asleep on the bathroom floor after what appeared to be a wild night.
Officer Samantha Martin from local animal control helped remove the raccoon, laughing about the unusual call.
“He fell right through the ceiling and decided to sample the goods,” Martin explained. “Raccoons are such funny little creatures.”
She transported the animal to a shelter to make sure he was okay — and he was, aside from what some joked might have been a rough hangover.
Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter praised Martin’s response and shared that the raccoon was later released back into his natural habitat.
After a good nap and showing no signs of injury, officials said the mischievous critter was let go — hopefully now aware that breaking into businesses definitely isn’t the right life choice.