Chelsea Hofmann
Arizona Republic
CAREFREE, Ariz. — Two javelinas’ ploy to avoid grocery store crowds Wednesday morning was busted when they were caught “burglarizing” a tractor supply store in Cave Creek.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office tweeted Friday that deputies “stumbled upon a burglary” at Tractor Supply Company near Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway in Carefree.
“We’ve got a burglary in progress here,” a deputy can be heard jokingly saying in video footage provided by MCSO. “Two suspects, about 3 feet tall, gray in color.”
The deputy can then be seen turning the lights to his patrol car on to conduct a “traffic stop” on the javelina, while pointing a spotlight on them.
“Javelinas, this is the sheriff’s office. You’re under arrest,” the deputy said before turning on his sirens. “We’ve got a couple runners running around back, gonna need a unit in the back.”
https://twitter.com/mcsoaz/status/1243588072157003777
The javelinas ransacked a trash can and chewed through a bag of animal feed, according to photos of the incident provided by the sheriff’s office.
The javelina, which is also known as a pecary, looks like wild pigs or boar. They tend to travel in groups and are most active at night and are commonly found in central and southern Arizona. However, sometimes they will make an appearance at your local store in search of a midnight snack.