Deputies record themselves freeing bear that locked itself inside teen’s car

Annie called 911, and Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies soon arrived.

The bear had somehow entered and locked itself inside the auto, and the deputies couldn’t figure out how, the department said in a statement.

Deputies Tillman and McLaughlin decided the safest and quickest action would be to pop open the hatch to release the bear – but it wouldn’t open with the key fob button, officials said.

Deputy Josh Tillman said he and his partner responded to a report about 9 a.m. Tuesday that a bear had somehow managed to become trapped inside a Subaru in the 26000 block of Upper Cold Springs Gulch Road.

The bear had ripped the ceiling off the vehicle, tore the plastic sunroof cover and chewed up the steering wheel.

“She said ‘Annie, there’s a bear in your vehicle.’ And I thought she meant it had broken a window and I was like ‘Okay, that’s life, ‘” said Annie Bruecker, who woke up to an unexpected surprise after camping at Chief Hosa Campground Monday night. Given the size of the bruin, investigators also wondered if there was a mama bear nearby. They said the bear quickly rejoined the wilderness after the ordeal. “My steering wheel was chewed”, she said.

A Colorado teen woke up Tuesday morning to find a bear in the back of her SUV. But she didn’t lock the doors Monday night, which apparently puts you at risk for a bear break-in. She left her doors unlocked, which she said, she typically doesn’t do.

Deputies posted a video on YouTube explaining the incident. They’re particularly adept at getting into things that are, typically, reserved for human use, likes houses and vehicles. “I just kind of made a little bit of a loud yell at him and it started him and he took off the other direction like we wanted him to”.

“Good work, deputies, and we hope this young bear stays far away from cars in the future!”