LONGWOOD, Fla. — A Longwood couple has quite the mess to clean up after a bear became trapped in their SUV.
Rikki Koberg-Perrero posted in her neighborhood Facebook page a warning to all to lock their car doors.
Koberg-Perrero said on Saturday she heard loud banging outside, so her husband went to check it out. That is when he saw two bears near the garage, one of them in her father’s SUV.
"I've seen bears out and about, but not this close. This was a little too close for comfort," she said.
Koberg-Perrero said the bear was in the SUV at least 30 minutes, thrashing around and ripping up the upholstery.
"It (the bear) was not a happy camper, and it was thrashing around going from the front of the car to the back, pouncing on that back window many times," Koberg-Perrero said.
The family found paw prints and sand on the door handle, so they believe the bear managed to open up the car door.
Seminole County deputies and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission showed up, opened the car door and it took a few moments before the bear ran out.
"Here bear. Here bear," Koberg-Perrero said to coax the bear out of the SUV. "Ok, now he's going. I think he sees it now. Here bear. Here it comes, here it comes."
No injuries were reported.
The vehicle is a total loss, Koberg-Perrero said.
The garage door was not open, so the bears did not have access to trash cans, she said.
"We love the nature and we understand nature needs to co-exist with us. It's just really frightening when it gets up that close and personal," Koberg-Perrero said.
Officials with FWC said late Monday that they believe the adult bear is responsible for killing one dog and severely injuring another one in a nearby neighborhood.
FWC said they're working to trap the bear and her two cubs.
Watch: Woman finds bear trapped in SUV
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