Bear Breaks Into Man's Home, Takes Food
A Winsted man was caught by surprise when he saw a bear inside his house.
Residents at the Litchfield Heights apartment complex say bear sightings are commonplace in the area.
What would you do if a bear got into your house, and left a mess behind? That’s what happened to a Winsted man, Wednesday afternoon.
Bob Palmer wasn’t expecting any visitors at his home this week, but a bear with an appetite didn’t get the memo.
“One of my co-workers at the complex…called me and asked me if I left my back patio open. I said, ‘yeah’. I just left the screen door open, and he looked down at the back of the building, and a bear was sticking out the back of my kitchen,” said Palmer.
Palmer said the bear probably made its way down from the woods, then onto his property, where he slid the screen door open, and found the trash.
“He took my garbage can and pulled it onto the patio, and had his way with it,” added Palmer.
However, Palmer said the unwanted visitor managed to leave one thing intact.
“He didn’t damage my screen…he just nudged it open with his nose carefully, and didn’t rip it,” stated Palmer.
While the ordeal may sound scary, Palmer’s neighbors said bear sightings are commonplace in the area.
“We know enough to stay away from them. Even the kids know enough to stay away from them,” said Isabell Balfour.
“They didn’t bother any people,” said Charles Gross.
To keep the animals at bay, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection set up a bear trap at the complex, with pastries as bait.
Palmer said he’d like to keep the furry guys at a distance, and from now on, he’ll think twice before leaving his back door open.
