BLACK BEAR BANDITS TEAM UP TO STEAL TRASH CAN FROM HOME

— A security camera has caught a trio of black bear bandits red-handed, stealing a trash can from the driveway of a New Hartford home in a sneaky attempt at snagging their next meal.

The video, which was anonymously posted to Storyful on Wednesday, depicts three bears meandering the property around dusk.

One bear takes the initiative by approaching one of the trash cans in the driveway and snatching it with its front paws. The bear clumsily begins to turn back toward the woods on its hind legs, not-so-subtlety setting off the garage door’s motion sensor light in the process, the video shows.

With the determined leader dragging the treasured trash can in tow, the bears then make their way back into the forest before the video ends.

According to the Storyful description, the homeowner had said that bears in the area have begun to come out of hibernation from winter.

As the weather gets warmer, this homeowner isn’t alone, as more and more residents in Connecticut towns have taken to social media about their own bear sightings. Sightings have been especially common in the nearby Farmington Valley, which has essentially become a hotspot for black bears in recent years.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s 2024 State of the Bears Report warns residents to be more aware as part of an initiative that focuses on reducing conflicts by addressing food habituation, which happens when bears associate food with people.

Among the best ways for humans and bears to coexist, according to DEEP, is for residents to “manage your food, garbage, and other attractants with bears in mind. Bear-resistant trash cans are successfully used by more residents each year, talk to your trash hauler to see if they are available in your area.”