A black bear was caught on security camera roaming around a house in Barkhamsted, Connecticut—and taking a snack to go.
Footage shows the bear wandering through the home of Helena Richardson. Both of its ears feature brightly colored tags, and it appears to have a radio tracking collar. The bear sniffs around the living room before walking purposefully into the kitchen.
Then, the bear beelines straight for the drawer-style freezer, which he opens with what appears to be practiced ease. Pulling a package of lasagna out with its teeth, the bear looks around and then uses the freezer drawer to climb out of an open window just next to the refrigerator.
The theft is nearly flawless, with nothing other than the open freezer and missing lasagna to prove the bear had been there.
It's not the first time a bear has broken into a house looking for some grub. In 2021, a bear broke into a California home and scarfed down a whole bucket of KFC that was sitting on the kitchen counter. The following year, another California bear broke into a Simi Valley house while the family was home. Police chased the bear off, but it managed to rummage around in the fridge and eat a freshly baked cake before it took off.
Unfortunately, bears that frequently break into homes become habituated to humans and human food and can become dangerous. A bear in Colorado had to be euthanized earlier this year after it broke into three homes; there's a video of the offending bear clinging from the sill of a second-story window.
If you live in an area with bears, make sure you keep your garbage locked up and the outside of your house clean. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recommends removing bird feeders from late March through November, keeping barbecue grills clean, and not leaving pet food outside. If you see a bear in the yard, don't approach it, and take cover in your house or garage. Call wildlife authorities if the bear persists in trying to enter your home.
