State environmental conservation police were able to free the wild animals by opening the doors. AP
The car’s interior, however, wasn’t so fortunate: It was completely torn apart.
The incident in Winsted, in the state’s northwest corner not far from Massachusetts, was documented in photos and video taken by the car’s owner, who captured images of the bears in the car and the resulting destruction on a cellphone.
Officials believe they got in the vehicle by opening a door, but it’s not clear how the door then closed.
Over a week, there have been three episodes involving bears in Connecticut that were publicly reported by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection — another sign of the increasing black bear population in the state.
On Saturday, a woman reported being bitten by a black bear in a backyard in Cheshire.
She suffered minor injuries and declined treatment, officials said.
Environmental conservation police found and euthanized the bear, which was taken away for testing.
On Sunday, a nearly 500-pound (227-kilogram) black bear was struck and killed by a car on a highway in Torrington, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said.
There has been an uptick in bear-related property destruction in Connecticut. AP
While bears have been breaking into cars, trash bins and homes in the western U.S. for a long time, such incidents were rare in Connecticut a few decades ago. They’re now a growing phenomenon.
There also have been a few non-fatal bear attacks on humans reported in the state over the past two years, and an increasing number of bears entering homes, state officials say.
An adviser from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says its best to lock your car doors, especially if there is food inside. AP
“Always keep your car doors locked if bears occur in your area and never allow them easy access to human-sourced food,” Ethan Van Ness, a senior adviser at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said in a statement.
State officials said bears began returning to the region in the 1980s and their populations have been steadily increasing.
There are now an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 bears in Connecticut, with sightings in all 169 towns in recent years but more concentrated in the state’s northwestern corner.
For top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0