Viral Sensation After Breaking Into U.S. Liquor Store
Suspected of Repeated Intrusions Into Nearby Shops
A raccoon that became a viral sensation and a “goods star” after being found sprawled out drunk at a liquor store in Virginia, United States, is now suspected of being a habitual intruder who had repeatedly entered nearby shops in the past.
The image of a drunken raccoon found at an American liquor store at the end of last month. Hanover County Animal Shelter SNS
According to reports from the Washington Post and others on December 14 (local time), officials in Hanover County, Virginia, believe that the raccoon, which gained fame after entering a local liquor store last month, may have previously broken into several other stores in the area.
Samantha Martin, an employee at the Hanover County Animal Shelter, appeared on a local podcast and stated, “It is highly likely that this raccoon is the same individual that previously broke into the martial arts studio and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office located in the same building as the liquor store.” She explained, “There were traces left behind at the previous break-in sites, such as empty snack bags. This raccoon seems to know how to get back into the building no matter what. It’s a small and clever animal.”
The raccoon had previously entered the liquor store on November 29, broke 14 bottles of alcohol including rum, whiskey, and vodka, drank the liquor, and was later found lying on the restroom floor asleep before being captured by animal control officers. At the time, the store floor was reportedly soaked with liquor that had spilled from the broken whiskey bottles.
The raccoon, believed to have entered the store by breaking through the ceiling, was also seen moving actively around the store in closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
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Subsequently, the animal shelter released photos and CCTV footage on social media showing the raccoon lying drunk on the restroom floor after breaking into the liquor store. The post quickly spread online, gaining worldwide attention and becoming a meme known as the “drunken raccoon.” Capitalizing on this, the Hanover County Animal Shelter launched a campaign selling merchandise featuring raccoon illustrations.
According to USA Today, the shelter produced and sold a variety of items such as T-shirts and tumblers, raising a total of 156,000 dollars (approximately 230 million won). The proceeds will be used for facility improvements at the shelter and for supporting stray and wild animal protection activities. The raccoon at the center of the incident stayed at the shelter until it sobered up, and after being deemed healthy, was released back into the wild.
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