Squirrels steal chocolate from corner shop

A corner shop owner in Toronto is wondering how to keep criminal squirrels from stealing chocolate bars after they were caught on CCTV.

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Luke's Grocery has seen around 48 chocolate bars disappear thanks to the small creatures. They have taken Crunchies, Mr Bigs and Kinder Bueno bars.

Jenny Kim, the owner's daughter, said: "They're just too fast."

As the shop owners can't figure out how to stop them, they took to Reddit to ask for help.

Owner Paul wrote: "For around a week or two, a squirrel (either the same one or maybe not) has been coming in when we are not looking, taking a chocolate bar, and dashing off. It's a different bar each time - O'Henry, Mr. Big, etc. It happens about once every 2-3 days.

It is definitely a squirrel that is doing the stealing. Though we can't see it the moment it commits the theft (because the bars are displayed below the counter, on the customer's side), we can hear a distinct rustling. When we come around the counter to try to catch it, we can see the squirrel running off with the bar in its mouth.

"It's slower than normal by that point, obviously because it has a huge and heavy chocolate bar in its mouth, but it's still hard to catch. We tried running after it, but it's still faster. A couple times, passerbys and customers tried chasing after it with us, but once it goes up a tree, it's game over.

"Do you have any advice/suggestion on how we might deter the squirrel?"

Paul says it gets too stuffy to close the door and he has called animal services but they "only seem concerned about lost/killed animals/pets".

One Redditor suggested he "get a screen door". Another said "get a dog".

Some users took to the site to offer to "pay the squirrel's tab," with one writing: "Clever little squirrels - where can I pay their tab? Or even give them a little extra for the rest of the year?"