A black bear was captured on surveillance footage entering a Colorado Springs fire station and stealing a duffle bag filled with equipment. The incident occurred recently at Station 16, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department.
The footage shows the bear walking into the firehouse bay, grabbing the bag in its mouth, and then leaving. The fire department shared the video on Facebook, humorously noting that the bear "grabbed our gear, peaced out real quick, and said ‘thanks, I’ll take it from here.’"
Officials from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) reminded the public that black bears are driven by their need to bulk up for winter. This year, Colorado is experiencing a high number of bear sightings and conflicts, which CPW attributes to worsening drought conditions that reduce natural food sources.
From January 1 to August 13 of the current year, CPW received 6,129 reports of bear sightings and conflicts across the state, nearly double the number reported during the same period last year. The fire department advised residents to secure food and trash, take down bird feeders, bring pet food inside, keep grills clean, and only take out trash on pickup days to prevent encounters with bears.
They also recommended making loud noises to scare bears away if an encounter occurs. The department stressed that bears becoming accustomed to human food sources creates unsafe conditions for both wildlife and people.