A bear could be seen jumping out of a parked car and running for its life on a video released by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office on Aug 14.
Deputies responded to a call saying the bear was trapped in a car in South Lake Tahoe. To set free the animal, deputies used a beanbag gun, a nonlethal shotgun, to shatter the back window of the car and provide an exit.
It’s not clear how the bear became stuck in the vehicle, however the sheriff’s office stated, “YES, bears can open car doors.” They reminded the public to never leave food in cars or leave vehicles unlocked, “especially in bear country.”
Another video taken by an Airbnb host from South Lake Tahoe in July showed a bear opening a car door effortlessly and snatching a bag of snacks from the vehicle.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: An Airbnb host in Lake Tahoe was shocked with they caught a #bear on their #RingDevice breaking into a car. The renters say they take many precautions to keep their trash and other items secure. pic.twitter.com/hDGC3NwDpY
— KEYT NewsChannel 3 (@KEYTNC3) August 8, 2018
In June, Placer County Sheriff’s Department also found a bear locked in an SUV near Lake Tahoe. Although the bear was set free after an officer smashed the side window, “the inside of the car didn’t fare very well,” said the sheriff’s department.
This little guy got trapped in a car and had to be rescued. The inside of the car didn’t fare very well. Please don’t leave food in your vehicle when you’re visiting us at #LakeTahoe! ? #Bear #unhappyvisitor #NorthLakeTahoe #VisitPlacer #PlacerCounty pic.twitter.com/7UdH2nRUgc
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) June 20, 2018
In addition, bears are often seen roaming the neighborhood and even breaking into houses to find food.
WATCH: A Lake Tahoe mother used her “mom voice” to stop an enormous bear from climbing onto her porch. Brittany Christensen shot this video of the animal coming within feet of her home before her stern words convinced it to scamper off into the wilderness. pic.twitter.com/K85fS5XMKl
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) July 16, 2018
Surveillance video shows a bear breaking into a home in South Lake Tahoe, California, by breaching the kitchen window. https://t.co/en2TElwsjS pic.twitter.com/6EmSDTpn5R
— ABC News (@ABC) June 15, 2018