An overnight mess at a small Arkansas restaurant turned out not to be a standard burglary, but a raccoon intrusion caught on surveillance video.
At the Caddy Shack in Fairfield Bay, owners learned that several raccoons spent hours inside the restaurant, breaking dishes, ruining food, and causing other damage, according to KLRT-TV.
Here's what to know
After an employee arrived and noticed the destruction, Caddy Shack owners Wesley and Brandi McDermott rushed to the restaurant.
They initially believed someone had broken in, but a review of the security footage showed that raccoons had been roaming the restaurant for about four hours overnight.
"There was dishes everywhere, broken on the floor," Brandi McDermott recalled.
They said the destruction also included smashed wine glasses, ceiling damage, and food and inventory that had to be thrown out.
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The owners added that wildlife remediation alone could cost thousands of dollars, in addition to replacing food, dishes, glasses, and other supplies.
The setback was especially difficult because it occurred just before Labor Day weekend — one of Fairfield Bay's busiest times before a slower season began.
"It's just a punch in the gut," Wesley McDermott admitted.
What's being done?
According to the outlet, the McDermotts contacted the health department as they tried to figure out what needed to happen before they could reopen.
They also sought a wildlife remediation company to determine how the raccoons got in and make sure it doesn't happen again.
Brandi McDermott told KLRT-TV that she had already reached out to three companies, but none currently served the Fairfield Bay area.
"We treat our customers the same way we treat our family. For us, our customers have become our family," she said.
As cleanup and inspections continued, the restaurant still had no clear timeline to reopen.
"We don't want to give it up," Brandi McDermott lamented.
Where can I learn more?
The mess at the Caddy Shack is one more example of wildlife showing up where it is least expected. These stories feature animals causing trouble in restaurants, stores, and neighborhoods — and the different ways people have dealt with the fallout.
• At a Bali restaurant, monkeys grew brazen around diners and stole food from tourists.
• At a Virginia liquor store, a raccoon ended up passed out in the bathroom.
• At Mystic Fish Camp, chefs are serving invasive species to confront a different animal problem.
• In an urban area in India, a leopard startled residents before vanishing from sight.
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