Bear climbs into family's unlocked Subaru, locks itself in, trashes the lot
A black bear wandered into a family car in Juneau, Alaska, at 12.30am, got shut in, leaned on the horn and shredded the interior until police freed it with a rope.
Most of us lock our cars to keep things out. In Juneau, Alaska, one family has learned the hard way that it works the other way round too.
At around 12.30am on Monday, a black bear climbed into the family’s unlocked Subaru – and the door shut behind it. A neighbour heard the car horn going off, looked out and saw the bear sitting on it, then called 911.
Police woke the family up to get the keys, but by then the bear had ripped out the wiring and the doors wouldn’t unlock. So officers did the only sensible thing: they tied a rope to the door and pulled it open from a distance. “He actually puts his paw on the window at one point before the officer opens the door,” said Angela Harkins.
AI illustration.
The bear was out within five to ten minutes and ran off unhurt. The car was not so lucky. Seats, back seats, door panels and plastic all torn apart, and even the metal bent. Owner Michael Wilson was generous about it: “I got to hand it to Subaru. They made a good car. It couldn’t get out.”
AI illustration.
The family say the bear got into three cars that night but only got locked in the last one, calling it “the Goldilocks situation”. Their insurance didn’t cover it. Wilson’s advice: “Lock your doors. Don’t leave any food, no candy.”
Reported by Alaska’s News Source; also covered by UPI and CNN.
