Deer breaks into Tennessee Christmas store, gets stuck in chair

TENNESSEE: A deer broke into a Christmas-themed store in Tennessee and ran loose through the establishment before getting wedged in a chair and escorted outside.

The Jonesborough Police Department said on social media that officers were called to Gabriel’s Christmas and More in Jonesborough early Friday morning to usher out the four-legged burglar.

“Once inside, he took a grand tour: sniffed the ornaments, inspected the garland, side-eyed a nutcracker, and galloped around like he was trying to remember where he parked the sleigh,” police wrote.

The department joked the deer “needs to lay off the eggnog,” as it was “clearly three sips too deep into the Holiday Spirits and making terrible life choices.”

The deer ended up getting stuck while trying to pass through the bottom of a chair, allowing police to drag the animal outside.

“We just kind of let the deer run back up front, hoping that it would go back out the front door. It didn’t happen,” Officer Adam Depew told WJHL-TV. “I just said I was going to grab it. What other choice do we got? You know, so they goes in the chair and I was like, ‘gotcha.'”

The deer ran off once it was freed from the furniture outside the store.

Gabriel’s merchandiser Lisa Melancon said the story was difficult to believe.

“Our sweet Christmas store got invaded by a deer. So it was pretty shocking, but nobody thought it was real. I mean, every employee thought we were joking,” Melancon said.

Melancon said she can’t blame the deer for its good taste in stores.

“Well, I mean, that’s why she probably wanted to come and do some shopping and get some last-minute gifts, and she knew where to come,” she said.