An employee at a Virginia liquor store was shocked when he arrived at work Saturday to discover a raccoon had broken into the store and was drinking through the liquor aisle.
The “masked bandit” was found passed out in the bathroom between the toilet and the bin, grabbing a bottle from the bottom shelf.
Animal Control Officer Samantha Martin transported the “suspect” from Hanover County Animal Control and Shelter for questioning, but not before he had a chance to sober up.
After sleeping for several hours and showing no signs of injury (other than a hangover), the animal was safely released back into the wild.
The Ashland ABC store was closed for Thanksgiving due to a “Black Friday break-in.”
When staff arrived on Saturday, they found broken bottles and alcohol, including Scotch whiskey, piling up on the floor.
Officer Martin said the animal fell through one of the ceiling tiles and then “went completely wild and drank everything”.
There is only one blurry CCTV image of the drunken break-in, so it is unknown how much alcohol the thirsty creature had before passing out in the bathroom.
In a social media post, the store thanked Hanover County Animal Care and Shelter for their professionalism and providing a “sober home” for visitors.
“It’s just another day in the life of an animal control officer,” Officer Martin said.
