Photos show extensive damage after 200-pound bear tears through Colorado car

A bear got stuck in a Subaru and destroyed the inside, photos show.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said Thursday a bear got trapped inside a car on the border of Jefferson and Gilpin counties.

“Just a friendly reminder to remove all attractants and to lock your vehicles,” wildlife officials said in a Twitter post. “This is what it will look like if a bear gets into it.”

Photos of the car show the seats torn through, ceiling destroyed and doors decimated. The bear tore apart nearly all parts of the car’s interior.

The bear was stuck inside the car until a wildlife officer opened the door just enough to let it out. Officials didn’t say how much time had passed.

“A wildlife officer backed up next to the vehicle and opened the door just a little bit for the bear so it could get out,” officials said.

They estimated the bear weighed between 200 and 250 pounds.

It’s not the first time bears have broken into cars in Colorado. Bears broke into cars 484 times from 2019 to 2020, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

A hungry bear broke into at least eight cars in Estes Park looking for food in August, McClatchy News reported.

“While not all of the vehicles had food or attractants, some bears go from car to car just to see if they’re unlocked, then hope to find food,” wildlife officials said.

In June, a bear broke into a car in Larkspur and got stuck there for at least an hour. It fully trashed the car’s interior, photos showed.

“If you are in bear country, you need to lock your car doors & keep it clean of all attractants,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northeast Region said. “Bears break into cars often.”

Bears’ noses are “100 times more sensitive” than humans, and they can smell food up to five miles away, Parks and Wildlife said on its website.

They can also seek out trash that smells like food or scented products, such as air fresheners, wipes or perfume. Bears are smart animals and will come back to a location where they’ve found food.

Parks and Wildlife said people in bear country should always lock their windows and doors, both at home and in their cars.

“This is for your safety and for the lives of these amazing and resourceful creatures,” wildlife officials said.

This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 7:53 AM with the headline "Photos show extensive damage after 200-pound bear tears through Colorado car."