Bear Break-Ins in Connecticut Homes Up More Than 279% Since 2002
Lock your doors because bears can smell food from miles away.
Bears have broken into 22 Connecticut homes this year which is the highest number ever recorded according to an article in the Hartford Courant. Wildlife biologist, Paul Rego told the Courant that over the last 15 years the average has been 5.8 per year.
The bottom line is, bears are hungry. Their sense of smell is seven times better than a bloodhound and they can smell that pound of baloney your 13-year-old left on the kitchen counter and they won't knock first before they break-in.
On August 6, an elderly Canton woman woke up and found a bear in her bedroom. The bear hadn't come for her because he turned around and headed for the kitchen. When the police arrived they found the smart-ass bear on its hind legs rifling through the kitchen cabinets.
On May 13 you may have heard of the bear that opened the car door of a 2015 Subaru Outback looking for some lunch and proceeded to trash the inside of the car, rude. The owner noticed her lights were on and there were strange noises coming from the inside the vehicle. When police arrived, a full grown bear had gotten trapped inside the car and proceeded to rip the interior to shreds.
Luckily so far there have been no bear attacks on humans. If a bear does manage to gain access to your home, immediately move to a safe room and call the police. Avoid leaving garbage cans or any kind of food around including bird feeders outdoors.