Drunk Raccoon Found After Virginia Liquor Store Break-In

A raccoon, apparently intoxicated after sampling liquor from store shelves, was discovered passed out in a bathroom following a chaotic break-in at a state-run alcohol shop in Ashland, Virginia, on Saturday morning.

Staff at the Ashland ABC Store arrived to open for the day and found the interior in disarray: bottles of spirits smashed on the floor, shelves toppled, and pools of alcohol soaking the aisles. Initial concerns of a human burglar quickly dissipated when employees traced the destruction to the bathroom, where the culprit lay slumped between the toilet and a trash bin. The animal, described by officials as very drunk, had entered the premises overnight by falling through a ceiling tile, which also damaged the store's surveillance system and left investigators without video footage of the intrusion.

Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter responded to the call. Officer Samantha Martin secured the raccoon without incident and transported it to the facility for observation. "They are funny little creatures," Martin said. "He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything." Evidence at the scene, including broken bottles of...