A stubborn American squirrel that refused to stop harassing a woman by continually jumping into her handbag, was taken away by Police in historic Chester, England last night. DC Nigel Thake attended the scene and took the squirrel into the woods after a good old-fashioned ticking off.
Cheshire Constabulary reported: “At around 7.40pm on Thursday the 29th May, police received a call from a woman at The Shropshire Arms pub in Northgate Street, Chester, reporting that a squirrel had climbed inside her handbag and would not leave her alone.”
The distressed woman described the animal as the non-native “American” grey squirrel which have invaded British shores over recent years, taking over from the indigenous Red Squirrel. The police claim the squirrel escaped before a cage could be found, as under section 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act (UK), it is an offence to release a grey squirrel into the wild.
The Red Squirrels Northern England association, who try to protect red squirrels, are not amused. A spokesman said, “If you trap one, you are obliged to humanely dispatch it. You must not let it go as this act would be illegal.”
This is wonderful!
And 100% true too 🙂