Hungry Bear Breaks Into Home in California and Raids Kitchen

Sometimes bears let their curiosity get the best of them. Seemingly always looking for food and endlessly curious, bears love searching through delicious human foods. While most bear encounters happen on hiking trails and camping grounds, in rare cases, they may also break into homes. This video from ABC7 shows a bear ransacking a home in California for any snacks it can find! Read here to learn more about what happened, and what you should do if a bear enters your home.

What’s Happening?

As you can see in the video, a black bear in Kern County, California, let its hunger get the best of it. The incident was reported in mid-August 2025 and surprised viewers who tuned in to see the news. The bear awkwardly climbs up to the house and enters through the front door. After rummaging through the home for about an hour, the bear takes a variety of snacks and foods, such as chips, dog food, and Worcestershire sauce. The bear left behind a massive mess for the homeowner, Bridget Conley, to clean up after its successful heist. Luckily, the homeowner is safe and healthy, but surprised and shaken by the incident. The video is a great representation of how bold and fearless bears can be when hungry. This incident also serves as a great reminder of how to stay safe around curious bears.

Why Do Bears Break In?

Bear break-ins, thankfully, are rare, but occur most often where bear and human populations overlap. Some states where this happens more often include the mountains of Colorado, the forests of California, the Yellowstone region of Montana and Wyoming, and states in the Appalachian region. Homeowners should be especially concerned about juvenile bears, as their lack of foraging experience and naïveté can lead them to human homes. While there are no specific numbers of bear break-ins on the national level, an interview with Jim Parkhurst from Virginia Tech’s Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation stated that Virginia receives 1,500 to 3,500 calls related to bear complaints each year.

There are a few reasons why bears choose to break in. Most of the time, odors from food, trash, and pet food are enough to attract a bear to enter a home. To stay on top of bear safety, proper food storage and garbage disposal that prevents odors from wafting through the air can help. Some reasons for break-ins are often out of our control as well.

Habitat displacement is a reason why bears become bold enough to break into homes, mostly out of desperation for food. After the wildfires in California earlier this year, residents of Sierra Madre, just outside Los Angeles, saw an increase in bear break-ins. In June 2025, there were 41 reported bear break-ins in Sierra Madre, more than triple the 13 incidents reported in June 2024. Experts say that the wildfires and habitat loss forced a 300-pound female bear down the mountain in search of food. So, what can you do to stay safe in your home?

What to Do If You Encounter a Bear

A bear breaking into your home can be a terrifying experience, but there are a few things you should remember to stay safe. First, remain as calm as possible. Staying calm and making rational decisions is the best way to ensure you and anyone else inside stay safe. If you are inside during the break-in, do not approach the bear and keep a safe distance. Leave any doors to the outside open so the bear has an easy way to exit. Once you are in a safe location, call the appropriate authorities, such as emergency services or wildlife control. It’s better to leave scaring the bear to professionals rather than trying to do it yourself. By following these steps, you can stay safe. The most important takeaway is to remain calm and ask for help.

There are some other ways to stay safe if you encounter a bear outside the home as well. Similarly, face the bear without approaching it, and keep your eyes on it. To intimidate the bear, raise your arms and spread them as wide as possible. Yelling, banging pots, or using other loud devices is an effective way to scare black bears away. With these methods, bears will most likely run away, but if they do approach, it is best to use bear spray. In the rare event that a bear attacks you, playing dead is not recommended; it is best to fight back.