A raccoon that broke into a closed liquor store in Ashland, Virginia made off with a stash of whisky and scotch overnight - only to be found passed out in the employee bathroom by morning. Staff arriving at the Virginia ABC store on Saturday discovered broken bottles strewn across the floor, a collapsed ceiling tile, and puddles of spilled alcohol. The intruder turned out to be a masked, four-legged burglar.

Security-camera footage showed the raccoon entering the empty store, leaping through a ceiling tile and targeting the bottom shelf where spirits were stored. The creature then knocked over several bottles - including rum, whisky and peanut-butter whiskey - before appearing to sample the contents. By Saturday morning the animal lay unconscious beside the toilet in the store bathroom, clearly intoxicated.

Animals officers from the Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter were called in and safely transported the raccoon to a shelter to sober up. Officer Samantha Martin, who responded, described the episode with a hint of amusement, saying the raccoon had“gone on a full-blown rampage, drinking everything.” The shelter confirmed that after several hours of rest the raccoon - though presumably nursing a hangover - showed no signs of injury and was released back into the wild.

Damage at the store included fourteen shattered bottles with a total retail value estimated at around US$250; beyond broken spirits and minor ceiling damage, no major structural problems were reported.

The unusual incident underscores a growing pattern of wildlife adapting to urban environments and exploiting human infrastructure. Experts note that raccoons' agility, curiosity and adaptability have increasingly brought them into close proximity with human habitations - sometimes with chaotic results.

Members of the public responded to photos of the chaotic scene - liquor-stained aisles, broken bottles, and a sprawled out raccoon near a toilet - with bemusement, dubbing the animal a“masked bandit.” The animal-control agency itself commented with wry levity, hoping the raccoon had“learned that breaking and entering is not the answer.”

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