Behind bars, masked raider with a weakness for cat food
HE has a black mask, is adept at hiding and is a very skilful burglar.
But Ronnie the raccoon was last night behind bars after trying to pinch cat food from a family home.
The desperado was one of three raccoons that escaped from Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre, near Comrie, Perthshire, in January.
Keepers rounded the other two up but feared the nine-year- old male had succumbed to the harsh weather.
But then residents in Callander, more than 15 miles away, reported sightings of the cat-sized creature last month.
Yesterday Ronnie was caught in a trap after trying to help himself to some of his favourite cat food.
Auchingarrich owner Andrew Scott said: ‘We’re thrilled to have him home. He’s been missing for four months but he’s in good health and none the worse for his travels. He has settled back in with his companions.
‘We’ve called him Ronnie after Ronnie Biggs, who also evaded capture for a long time.’
The raccoon escaped after snow brought down a branch from a tree onto the mesh of his enclosure.
Police warned members of the public not to approach the animal as it could ‘give a nasty bite should it be cornered’.
Mr Scott said: ‘There were about a dozen sightings in Callander over the last couple of weeks.
‘With help from Scottish Natural Heritage we put several traps down and checked them every morning. One trap actually caught five cats, which were completely unharmed. They were enticed by the smell of the cat food we put in as bait for our raccoon, and the door closed behind them.
‘Then I got a call at 7am today to say he was in a trap in a garden.
‘Ronnie was obviously very happy there because there are lots of cats.’
Revealing how the wily animal turned to crime, Mr Scott said: ‘We had a report of him going in a cat flap and into someone’s porch, and on one occasion a couple of weeks ago a homeowner came down to find him sitting on their draining board, but he escaped.’
The fugitive was trapped in the garden of retired NHS worker Tom Hammond.
Mr Hammond, 66, said: ‘My wife Liz saw Ronnie in April after he came through one of the cat flaps and took food from the porch.
‘We leave food for our cats there at night and it’s not unknown for another cat to come in, but on this night she came in and said there had been a badger.
‘It was only days later when a neighbour said there was a raccoon on the loose in the area that we realised what it was.’
Mr Hammond added: ‘It came back another night and we both saw it fly out of the cat flap and disappear in to the garden.
‘We contacted Auchingarrich and they put a trap down in the garden on Monday. We caught a cat overnight.
‘He’s back home safe and sound now. He has been very elusive and there was a small potential that he could harm a favourite family pet, but really it’s been a bit of excitement for Callander.’