Viral drunk raccoon confirmed as repeat offender after liquor store break-in

Officials in Virginia have revealed that the raccoon who went viral for being drunk and passed out in a liquor store is, in fact, a repeat offender and has been caught before. 

At the start of December, the internet was amused by a story about a raccoon breaking into a liquor store and getting high on their supply. Police in Hanover County, Virginia, showed off photos of the critter passed out near a toilet – a scene every drinker can relate to. 

Police and Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter saw the funny side of things, confirming that the hungover raccoon had “sobered up” and returned to the shelter. Thankfully, he showed no signs of injury, apart from probably having a headache. 

The shelter also released the raccoon back into the wild, adding, that “hopefully having learned that breaking and entering is not the answer.” However, it turns out that he is, in fact, a repeat offender. 

Drunk raccoon has done this before

According to Animal Protection Officer Martin, who was the first responder to the drunk raccoon, he’s done it before. 

“We don’t know what time he got in there. Supposedly, he fell through the ceiling,” she told the Hear in Hanover podcast. “This is not the first time he’s been in one of the buildings. Supposedly, this is the third break-in he’s had. 

“He was in the karate studio, I think he got into the DMV and ate some of their snacks one time. Each time we get him out, we don’t relocate him because that’s a death sentence for raccoons. But, somehow, he knows how to get back into this building. He’s a smart little critter.”

Officer Martin noted it was just a “funny” scene to see, with the racoon face down by the toilet and the store floor “sopping wet” with smashed liquids. 

“We didn’t realize he was passed out, we thought he was going to pop up at any moment. Once we opened up the bathroom and looked in on him, it was like ‘oh, he’s gone, he’s definitely had a few,” she added. 

“We started chuckling. I was taking pictures, the store manager was taking pictures. At that point, the whole store had opened, so people were coming in.”