Bear damages vehicle

SANDPOINT - A determined black bear inflicted $4,600 worth of damage to a Bonner County woman's car last weekend.

Vivian Swanson noticed the dome light in her 2004 Acura was on and initially wondered if a thief was attempting to take the vehicle from her Rapid Lightning Creek-area home. She went out to investigate and discovered a bruin had ransacked it.

"The bear had been in my car and I interrupted him, apparently. I had claw marks all over my car where he tried every single door," Swanson said.

As countless YouTube videos demonstrate, bears can be adept at overcoming vehicles' door handles. Swanson said three of her car doors were locked, but a fourth was not.

"My car was kind of pointed downward, so as soon as he lifted (the handle) up, gravity just threw it open," Swanson said.

Swanson's coat was on the ground and bits of upholstery foam were strewn about. The bear appears to have been drawn to the vehicle due to the presence of a Tupperware container that held leftovers.

Swanson never saw the bear, but her husband deduced that it was a black bear by analyzing the tracks that were left behind.

The Tupperware, which belonged to Swanson's daughter, remains unaccounted for.

"I hope he liked it," Swanson said.