A raccoon that broke into a Virginia store and joyfully drank its way through the liquor aisle is now suspected of a wider crime spree, officials say.
A Hanover animal control officer suspects the stripe-tailed mammal also broke into a nearby karate studio and then raided the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for snacks.
“Supposedly, this is the third break-in he’s had,” said Officer Samantha Martin.
The raccoon, now nicknamed the “trashed panda”, was first discovered passed out in the bathroom of the Ashland liquor store two days after Thanksgiving. After sobering up, the unlikely outlaw was released back into the wild.
A new study found the masked mammals known for rummaging rubbish bins for easy food, are evolving and getting comfortable around humans.
Ms Martin says it’s only a matter of time before the masked bandit strikes the shopping centre again.
“This is not the first time he’s been in one of the buildings,” she told the county government’s official podcast, Hear in Hanover, on Thursday.
“He was in the karate studio. I think he got into the DMV [and] ate some of their snacks one time,” she said.
She later added that there is a chance the earlier break-ins could have been perpetrated by a different raccoon – but officials have identified him as their prime suspect.
Raccoons are known for breaking into peoples garbage cans, leading to the nickname “trash panda”.
The county has been selling shirts with the logo “trashed panda” and has raised a whopping $207,000 (£155,000) as of Friday. The money will be used to renovate the shelter, and add to its capacity, Ms Martin said.
Officials say the little Kung Fu trash panda was living his best life when he was detained in the liquor store and kept his spirits up even after being placed in the county kennel.
“I just set him in there, [and] let him kinda relax for a few hours. The sun was beating on him so he was feeling good,” Ms Martin said, adding that he was released about one mile away from the shopping complex. “He didn’t do anything wrong. He was just having a good time.”
The story has gone viral, which Ms Martin says is because it is so “relatable”.
“Everybody’s been there,” she says. “Everybody’s had a few extra and passed out by the toilet, and hopes somebody can come get you the next morning.”
“I hope he learned his lesson,” she said, before adding that there’s a good chance he might be found committing another heist soon.
“He’ll be back. He’s not a dummy.”
