WORLD NEWS JAPAN-RACCOONS YS

(Yomiuri Shimbun | MCT)

Among the crimes New Jersey's police departments regularly investigate, vandalism to property likely is one of the more routine, day-in, day-out incidents reported.

For Mansfield Township police, the wee hours of Monday did not present themselves as one of those routine times.

Police indeed responded to a report of vandalism at an undisclosed location in the township Monday.

But the vandals chose an unusual way to act: They heaved a porcelain toilet onto the driveway of a private residence.

With a dead, frozen raccoon inside the tank.

Sgt. Shawn Bates confirmed the incident, saying police investigated it as more of a prank than a threat.

The dead raccoon, he said, was stuffed inside the toilet's tank.

Bates said police have turned over the matter to the township's Animal Control Officer and the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.