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Bear breaks into South Lake Tahoe ice cream shop: Here's what happened next
A bear dubbed Fuzzy broke into a Tahoe ice cream shop, devoured strawberry flavor, and stunned deputies.
A large brown bear broke into a popular ice cream shop in South Lake Tahoe and went straight for one flavor.
The bear, nicknamed Fuzzy, entered the Ice Cream Shop at Camp Richardson around 4 a.m. Sunday, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.
It ended up behind the counter and started digging into tubs of ice cream. Deputies who arrived said they “could barely believe their eyes.” Photos shared by the Sheriff's Office showed the animal staring into the camera after being caught in the act.
The bear focused on a tub of strawberry ice cream but also sampled other flavors, leaving tubs knocked over and paw prints across the shop floor, the New York Times reported.
“We’re pretty sure he didn’t want his claws before he came in,” William Boas, vice president of operations for ExplorUS, told the New York Times. “So all the ice cream had to be replaced.”
The sheriff’s office said on Facebook: “In the early morning hours of last Sunday, August 17th, Deputies were dispatched to a call for service at the Ice Cream Shop at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe."
The post further read, "With some encouragement, the bear ultimately left, but only after showing interest in the strawberry ice cream. Thankfully, Fuzzy the bear caused barely any property damage and there was barely any cleanup.”
ABC7 KRCR reported that no people or ice cream cones were harmed.
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National Park Service reminds ‘not to feed bears’
The National Park Service recently reminded visitors at Great Smoky Mountains National Park not to feed bears.
“By eating human food, bears can lose their preference for natural food sources and their fear of humans. Over time, these bears may begin approaching people in search of food. They can become aggressive, unpredictable, and dangerous,” the agency said on its website. It further read, “Bears looking for human food and garbage can damage property and injure people. These bears pose a risk to public safety and are often euthanized as a result.”
