Deer breaks into Maine store on Thanksgiving, ‘possibly trying to get head start on black Friday shopping,’ police say

When an alarm sounded at a store in Rockland, Maine, in the middle of Thanksgiving, police expected the break-in was the work of burglars.

Instead, officers found a skittish white-tailed deer, more harried than any holiday shopper.

The building’s glass storefront was shattered and merchandise inside had been knocked over and broken when Rockland police, along with officers from other departments, arrived around 1 p.m. Thursday, according to a statement posted on Facebook.

With body cameras on, officers secured the building’s entrances and exits and started searching for the presumed burglars, whom they thought were still inside the store, police said.

PRESS RELEASE: On Thanksgiving Day, at approximately 1:00PM, Rockland Police responded to an alarm call at a local retailer. Upon their arrival, they found a large front glass window smashed out and items knocked over inside. Rockland Police were assisted by officers from other jurisdictions and quickly secured the entry and exit points; before beginning their search of the building for the burglar(s) who were still suspected to be inside the store. While clearing the building, officers were met with a fawn-tasic surprise, and caught like deer in the headlights, when they found the suspect was in fact a white tail deer; possibly trying to get a head start on some black Friday shopping… Officers assisted store management with herding the animal outside. Fortunately, the animal was able to leave the building on its own and was not seriously injured.

Posted by Rockland Maine Police Department on Friday, November 24, 2023

“While clearing the building, officers were met with a fawn-tasic surprise, and caught like [a] deer in the headlights,” the statement said.

Turns out the suspect wasn’t a burglar at all but a white-tailed deer.

“Possibly trying to get a head start on some black Friday shopping,” police said.

In body camera footage posted on Facebook, the deer can be seen crashing though the homegoods department and running away from the officers.

The deer left the store on its own and without serious injury.

The Facebook post has gone viral with more than 750 shares and almost 600 likes.

Talia Lissauer can be reached at talia.lissauer@globe.com. Follow her on Instgram @_ttphotos.