The raccoon that famously broke into a Virginia liquor store, smashed bottles and passed out drunk in a bathroom had already carried out two earlier break-ins, local officials have revealed.
Before entering the Ashland ABC store on 29 November, the animal had forced its way into a nearby Department of Motor Vehicles office and a karate studio on the same block, according to Hanover county animal protection officer Samantha Martin. At the DMV, the raccoon reportedly helped itself to snacks.
Speaking on the county’s Hear in Hanover podcast, Martin said the raccoon appeared to know how to re-enter buildings and described it as “a smart little critter”. After being found intoxicated but uninjured at the liquor store, the animal was taken to a shelter to sober up before being released nearby, as relocating it was deemed too risky for its survival.
A store employee discovered the raccoon sprawled next to a toilet, with shattered whiskey bottles scattered along the way. Officials joked the animal may have been suffering from a hangover and “poor life choices”.
Martin said she hoped the raccoon had learned its lesson but added: “I think he’s living his best life. And why not? Have a drink or two, especially on Black Friday.”
The incident gained international attention amid research suggesting urban raccoons are adapting so well to city life that they are beginning to show early signs of domestication.
