Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Police smash car window to free bear trapped inside in California

'The inside of the car didn’t fare very well. Please don’t leave food in your vehicle when you're visiting us'

Chris Riotta
New York
Thursday 21 June 2018 16:20 BST
Comments
A bear trapped inside of a car freed by police

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Recently released video by the Placer County Sheriff’s office shows the creature stuck inside a Subaru Outback parked near a campsite at California’s Lake Tahoe.

The bear had so badly mauled the inside of the car that the locks and doors were no longer functioning, according to the sheriff’s office.

An officer broke a back-seat window before quickly stepping away from the vehicle and allowing the animal to escape without suffering any major injuries.

“This little guy got trapped in a car and had to be rescued,” the Placer Sheriff’s Twitter account wrote in a post. "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!”

Bears have been seen recently breaking into homes in the Lake Tahoe area in search of food, causing property damage and occasional harm to residents, according to local news reports and police information.

Still, bear encounters are a common occurrence in the region, as officials repeatedly warn locals and tourists alike to “bear aware” of leaving out food and garbage.

The bear was last seen heading into nearby forest.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in