Burglar bear casually opens a car door and looks inside as it goes on a night-time food raid
- Kodiak brown bear was captured on CCTV outside a home in southwest Alaska
- Bear sniffs around fence before turning its attention to white car parked outside
- It grabs car handle between its teeth and pulls car open, looking inside for food
Astonishing footage captures the moment a Kodiak brown bear casually opens a car door and looks inside as it searches for food outside a home in Alaska.
The CCTV footage, filmed in Kodiak, captures the large bear as it first sniffs around a wooden fence at the front of the house, before turning around and heading towards a car parked outside.
The animal stares at the white vehicle for a moment, but seconds later it grasps the door handle in its teeth and manages to pry the car door open.
The CCTV footage, filmed in Kodiak, captures a Kodiak brown bear as it sniffs around a wooden fence at the front of a house
After sniffing inside the vehicle in search of a late-night snack, the bear walks away from the car, leaving the door wide open in its wake.
The homeowner said: ‘Kodiak is a small community of about 6000 in the Gulf of Alaska that shares its environment with the Kodiak Brown Bear.
‘Normally encounters are fairly rare but irresponsible people have taught some bears that human trash can be a good source of food. This bear has visited my home and the rest of the neighborhood many times looking for an easy meal.’
Kodiak brown bears – also known as Alaskan brown bears – are the largest subspecies of brown bear, and usually weigh between 660 and 1,320 pounds.
The animal turns its attention to a car parked outside, and grasps the door handle in its teeth
The bear sniffs inside the car for a few moments before walking away and leaving the door wide open
This compares to between 254 and 794 pounds for most other brown bear subspecies, including the mainland grizzly bear.
Earlier this month, Alaska Wildlife Troopers warned residents in the southwest Alaskan city to be aware of Kodiak bears after a number of reports of the animals, KTUU News reported.
Authorities said at least three bears had been identified as ‘frequent visitors’ to areas inside Kodiak. They were said to often break fences and open gates and car doors in search of food.
Residents were urged to carry pepper spray and bells when hiking in low visibility or walking a dog at night.