'Masked' intruder whose break-in spurred police call has 4 legs and a tail

Police officers responded to an alarm that was set off at a phone store.

ByABC News
January 15, 2018, 1:10 PM

— -- When a security alarm went off at a mobile phone store in Knoxville, Tennessee, police responded.

Arriving at the store early this morning, they discovered a masked intruder, but one with four legs and a striped tail.

PHOTO: Officers located the masked suspect inside the store.
Officers located the masked suspect inside the store.

"Upon arrival, officers discovered that the suspect had entered the business by breaking through the roof. Upon further investigation, Officers located the masked-up suspect still inside the business," Knoxville Police wrote in a post on Facebook.

PHOTO: With the help of the business owner, the suspect escaped through the front door.
With the help of the business owner, the suspect escaped through the front door.

In a dispatch call heard via broadcastify.com, a person is heard asking, "Can you contact the alarm company ... and see if they find the keyholder because he's going to keep setting off the alarm ... not to mentioned he's going to tear up the store inside."

PHOTO: A reported intruder in a phone store had a tail and four legs.
A reported intruder in a phone store had a tail and four legs.

"There are four police officers out here watching this animal tear up this store inside," a person said on the dispatch call.

Police released several photos showing the raccoon intruder who was caught in the act.

PHOTO: Police responded to an alarm at a Boost Mobile store in Knoxville, Tenn., Jan. 15, 2018.
Police responded to an alarm at a Boost Mobile store in Knoxville, Tenn., Jan. 15, 2018.

The animal eventually escaped through the front door with the help of the store’s owner, police said on the Facebook post.