Bear Breaks into SUV, Takes Midnight Joyride in Colorado Neighborhood
OutdoorHub Reporters 08.14.17
Bears have really been causing a lot of issues this summer, but this just proves their summer vacation is getting out of control and it’s time for them to go back to bed. What we have here is a case of bear theft auto . . .
The Durango Herald is reporting that a bear wandered into a Colorado neighborhood one night, broke into a Subaru, then proceeded to take it for a joyride until taking out some trashcans and colliding into a mailbox.
The loud commotion woke a neighbor, Ron Cornelius, and his wife, who ran outside to find the trashed vehicle on their yard.
“Usually, I don’t get up at 5 o’clock unless there is a bear driving a car down the street,” Cornelius said with a sense of humor.
At first, the couple wasn’t sure what to think, because they didn’t see the bear or anyone leave the vehicle, so they called 911 to the crash.
La Plata County Sheriff’s Office determined it was a bear that broke in, because it defecated on the seat.
The most likely scenario: The bear somehow got itself stuck in the front seat of the SUV, did a bit of panicking, and released the parking brake, commencing a midnight ride around town. (It really only rolled out of the driveway, but picturing a bear rolling through the streets is fun, too.)
Beyond the stench the bear left behind, it also completely destroyed the interior of the car. It ripped the steering wheel clean off the dash, tore out the radio, and shattered the back window.
“It would have taken a human being hours to do what this bear did in a couple minutes,” Cornelius added.
CPW recommends that Colorado residents double check that their car doors are locked and take steps to keep bears away from trash and homes. Residents who observe any aggressive bears that are not showing fear around people should notify CPW by calling 247-0855.
