Masked intruders vex Bernal Heights

Bernal Heights and much of the Bay Area falls victim to a devious threat that puts homes, sanity and pets in danger.

For some time now, a masked group of criminals has been creeping through people’s yards and breaking into homes at will in the pursuit of food and for the sick joy of vandalism.

The roaming intruders — sometimes known as Procyon lotor — are prevalent throughout the Americas, with a turf stretching from Canada to Panama. An extraordinarily large range for a group more concerned with household trash than with drug trafficking.

Not long ago in the middle of the night, Bernal Heights resident “Sharon” was bravely able to chase off a motley crew, perhaps saving her neighbor’s dogs. A group of them had broken into her neighbor’s home through a pet door.

Weighing up to 35 lbs., these intruders are more than a match for the common house pet and are usually unafraid of being seen.

Part of what makes Procyon lotor so successful is that they are equally well adapted to living secretly in attic spaces of inhabited buildings or in the wilderness. When living in the wild they are known to be excellent swimmers and fishermen.

Bernal Heights – lock your pet doors and close your windows. The raccoons are in town.