- A raccoon broke into a karate studio and Department of Motor Vehicles for snacks
- This is the third suspected break-in by the same raccoon, says animal control officer Samantha Martin
- Study finds raccoons are evolving near humans and becoming more comfortable around them
A raccoon that broke into a liquor store in the US and passed out after getting drunk last month has again caused chaos. An animal control officer from Hanover has suspected that the animal broke into a karate studio and then raided the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for some snacks.
"Supposedly, this is the third break-in he's had," said Officer Samantha Martin, per the BBC.
"He was in the karate studio. I think he got into the DMV [and] ate some of their snacks one time," she said.
The raccoon, nicknamed "trash panda", was found face down after the "liquor-fuelled rampage" in November. It had left behind a trail of broken liquor bottles, dishevelled shelves, toppled boxes and 14 damaged bottles of spirits worth about $250.
Read | Drunk Raccoon Goes On Rampage In US Liquor Store Before Passing Out Face-First Near Toilet
It was released back into the wild after sobering up.
"After a few hours of sleep and zero signs of injury (other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices), he was safely released back to the wild, hopefully having learned that breaking and entering is not the answer," officials wrote in a statement.
This might be the greatest crime scene of 2025.
— The Dalbo Dog (@Dalbodog) December 3, 2025
Virginia animal control was called to investigate a “suspicious individual” inside a liquor store… only to discover a raccoon who had clearly decided to live his best (and worst) life.
He didn't just break in
he went full… pic.twitter.com/cft33DsPAh
According to a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology, raccoons are evolving based on proximity to humans and could become our species' next pet. They now have "a clear reduction in snout length" compared to their rural counterparts and are getting comfortable around humans.
Martin said that the furry offender could be seen again at a shopping centre rummaging for rubbish.
However, she added that although it could be a different suspect, they have identified the 'drunk raccoon' as their prime suspect.
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