KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A bear in Gatlinburg was caught on camera stealing a worker’s lunch from their service vehicle Friday morning.
While on the worksite, AFS Foundation and Waterproofing Specialists workers had a surprise visitor while they were working on a pier installation job, according to a release shared with WATE.
When they went on their break, the team found that their service truck had been rifled through, so they checked the homeowner’s security cameras to see if the culprit had been caught red handed.
Instead of the thief they might have expected, the video showed a black bear making its escape through the open passenger side window, climbing on top of the truck, and then making its way off of the property – With the co-foreman’s lunch in tow.
Bear activity in Gatlinburg is not unusual, given its proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains. Earlier this week, video captured showed people in Downtown Gatlinburg dangerously close to a bear. Officials warn that bears should be given space and that bear sightings are more common this time as they search for more food to prepare for the hibernation season.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency warns that bears, like many other wild animals, are opportunistic and look for effortless calories, which makes it easy for them to become habituated with human food and to become a threat to human safety.
While no one was injured in the incident, the video is a strong reminder for drivers to make sure their car doors are locked left when unattended, even if there is no food inside. Last year, a bear locked itself in a car in the Cosby area, although police reported that there was no reason, such as food or trash, for the bear to enter the car.