Bear Gets Into House in West Hartford

West Hartford residents had quite a shock this morning when a bear got into their house through a back patio door.

Jeff Grody said he was in the kitchen when he heard strange sounds and went to investigate.

It turned out to be a full-grown black bear in the den of their High Wood Road home. 

"I was in the kitchen, working, and there was one other person in the house who was near me and then I heard sounds in a different room, and the second time I heard the sound, I got up to look at what was there and there was a bear in our den in the next room over," he said. 

Their immediate reaction was to go outside and call 911.

Then the animal got out on its own, escaping out a back door before police arrived.

Police said in a news release that there was no other damage to the house and, to everyone's knowledge, the bear "did not eat any food or sleep in anyone's bed!" 

It did, however drink nectar from a hummingbird feeder in the back yard.

Brody didn't see the bear leave, but a neighbor saw it running away.

He said he's seen around six bears in the area.  

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection offers tips about black bears on their website, including what to do and what not to do.

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