Clever Raccoons

Re “Making Out Like Bandits,” July 27: These raccoons are certainly clever and powerful creatures. They kept on toppling over or opening our trash bins despite my best efforts to place barriers or even 20 pounds of bricks on top of the lids. In desperation, I decided to sprinkle some chili powder on the trash and hope this would work.

After the first encounter, it took them six months to raid my trash again. Another sprinkling of chili powder has kept them away for at least two years. My take is that either these rascals got their mouth or eyes burned by the chili powder or they simply did not like my chili recipe without the beans and the cheese. Regardless, many a schoolteacher would be pleased to have such good learners.

John T. Chiu

Newport Beach