Bear poops in the backseat of a car while tearing it to pieces, Colorado video shows

A bear broke into a car and pooped in the backseat, Colorado police said.

A car was ripped to shreds by a bear after the animal got inside, the Aspen Police Department said.

“This unlocked car was broken into and absolutely destroyed,” police said Tuesday on Facebook. “The seats were shredded, the doors were torn to pieces, and the suspect left an extra special surprise in the backseat.”

Poop was flung through the back of the car, video showed. The ceiling of the car no longer existed and the inside of the doors were spilling out.

“We have a band of bandits in Aspen who will stop at nothing for a good snack,” police said. “They’ll raid your trees, your homes, and yes — even your car.”

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.

Bears are in hyperphagia, a time before hibernation when they need to eat 20,000 calories or more each day. During the fall, bears eat food “nearly nonstop,” according to the National Park Service.

“For up to 20 hours per day, they’ll be following their noses for easy, calorie-packed meals,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said in August.

Some bears can gain more than 3 pounds a day before hibernating, Yellowstone National Park said.

They look everywhere for food during hyperphagia. They can dig through trash cans, eat off of bird feeders and break into homes or cars to find a meal, according to Colorado wildlife officials.

Bears’ noses are “100 times more sensitive” than humans, and they can smell food up to five miles away, Colorado 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.

Conflicts between bears and people can often be traced back to bears trying to find easy food, wildlife officials said.

This story was originally published November 3, 2021 at 9:50 AM with the headline "Bear poops in the backseat of a car while tearing it to pieces, Colorado video shows."