Bear behind the wheel, takes Prius for a drive

LinasK

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By Justin B. Phillips
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 09/05/2011 12:00:00 AM PDT
Updated: 09/05/2011 04:58:03 AM PDT


It was 3:30 a.m., and Brian McCarthy was fast asleep when a bear took his 2002 Toyota Prius for a test drive. The Pleasanton man's car had been parked in the driveway of his west Lake Tahoe cabin.
After wedging itself inside the car, the bear became stuck. Frustrated, hungry and mad, it kicked, scratched, bit and tore at the interior of the hybrid, trying to force a way out as easily as it found its way in.
In its behind-the-wheel rampage, the bear ripped open the seats, bit a chunk out of the steering wheel and damaged the Prius' gear box, shifting the car into neutral.
From the safety of the cabin, the awakened family watched helplessly as the commandeered Prius slowly started rolling out of the driveway.
"Our son was the first one who woke up, and he was watching the bear through the window," McCarthy said. "We were looking out of our bedroom window and from our view, you could look down and see the bear in the car, and its arms were just flailing all over the place, through the windows and everything."
The driveway was slightly inclined, so the car began picking up speed. The Prius rolled across the street, hopped a small rock wall and finally came to a stop on the porch steps of a neighbor's house. more at link: http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_18826428?nclick_check=1
 
I wonder if insurance will pay for it? You know how they can be.

A bear stole my car and wrecked it.

I'm sorry there's no coverage in your policy for a bear.
 
I wonder if insurance will pay for it? You know how they can be.

A bear stole my car and wrecked it.

I'm sorry there's no coverage in your policy for a bear.
Apparently it's totaled, but the wierd thing is that the guy claimed he had no food in the car, just CD's, a beach towel, and phone chargers...
 
Wonder how they got the bear out of the car, or what was left of it ...
 
Apparently it's totaled, but the wierd thing is that the guy claimed he had no food in the car, just CD's, a beach towel, and phone chargers...

Just the bear neccesities, I guess. :floorlaugh:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ogQ0uge06o"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ogQ0uge06o[/ame]
 
Was the guy cited or the bear?

Either it was a stolen vehicle or the guy let an unlicensed driver drive his car.
 
In Steadfast's link they say the officer wrote it up as burglary. It should have been bearglary.

I wonder if one of the CD's was the Honeydrippers? :waitasec:

It sounds like the work of Barry Black; [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111080"]Everybody needs the comfort of a Teddy Bear once in a while. - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]



In that thread it says that insurance will cover bear damage.
 
The family was able to give a description to the police sketch artist. They've released this drawing of the suspect:

9781841352961.jpg


Later, they were able to reenact the incident as it may have happened:

bear2.jpg
 
The family was able to give a description to the police sketch artist. They've released this drawing of the suspect:

9781841352961.jpg


Later, they were able to reenact the incident as it may have happened:

bear2.jpg

:giggle: :crazy:
 
My vehicle could appear to be clean as a whistle and still smell like french fries and burritos to a bear.
 

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